


Surviving

by Daiten



Category: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun | A Certain Scientific Railgun, Toaru Majutsu no Index | A Certain Magical Index, とある科学の一方通行 | Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator | A Certain Scientific Accelerator
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:41:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 29,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25937572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daiten/pseuds/Daiten
Summary: The hardship of surviving life in Academy City as high schoolers
Kudos: 8





	1. AO omnia finem

**My mind wouldn't let me focus on the other works until I finished this. It was on my brain a couple of years back but I forgot and only remembered recently when someone posted that high school picture of the Toaru cast. A little thing to note going in, the character's personality was purposely tweaked to fit the plot. Hope you enjoy it.**

A Certain Multilevel overpass located in Academy City. known as a bit of a landmark, it is a several floor interconnected roadway that looked like an entire sports field of concrete. The giant architectural construct with its complicated array of underground pathways, doubled as a landscape for flowers, meet up areas, and shopping areas. 

Though this place was home to 2.3 million citizens, 80% of whom are students, the massive roundabout never suffered from traffic congestion. Not even today, early Monday morning, where adults would have to go to work and buses transport students to the myriad of different schools did that happen.

On the road at the top level of the multilevel overpass, one specific vehicle stood out from the many cars. It was a black lexus lS+ limousine traveling just under the speed limit.

It must have been a custom job because the interior of the car was all vintage, completely different from what the exterior portrayed.

The asphalt continued on and on and on like a runway.

"Did you pack everything you need?" asked a bald spot, blue eye old man.

He was dressed in an open brown suit without its vest. His dress shirt was a light pink and his tie a darker shade. His face had an odd resemblance to a frog, hence his nickname The frog doctor.

He was talking to a girl, opposite to him, with maroon curly pigtails tied in place by two red bows. She was dressed in a white shirt with a blue bow under pink Sweater vests, black knee-high socks that elongate her legs, and a pleated skirt in a dark to light brown tartan pattern.

"Yes, grandpa." 

"You remember the house phone number, right?"

"Yes, I did."

"My work number?"

"Yes."

"My-"

"I remembered all of them, grandpa. You don't need to worry so much. It's only a sleepover."

"I still don't get why you two decided to do it during the week. Wouldn't the weekend be better."

"Come on grandpa."

"What? You already spend tons of time in school. Why do you wanna leave us so badly."

"That isn't it." Kuroko rebuke.

"My Lil pumpkin wants to abandon me!" The old man cried.

The very buxom brown skin maid to his immediate left leaned in and rubbed his back. She had black hair with a red dye layer in front.

"Yosh Yosh, Master Tengen. She's still a little girl, let her enjoy her youth."

Her skin was a natural deep tan color with eyes that were a beautiful fancy vivid canary diamond yellow. The front layer of her hair were pointy strands that extended outwards like chicken little's but with two ahoge combs that swayed to her left. She has two bangs that rest on her cheeks. Their overall length hasn't reached shoulder length yet and splits in the middle of her face. The back of her head was her natural hair color and had two ponytails that were over her shoulders and traveled down to her hips.

"But-but." Tengen turned his crying face to the butler. "Akiharu, you see where I'm coming from right?"

To his far left was a brown-haired man with brown eyes and rectangular glasses. He had 7 bangs extend from his face, one resting on both cheeks.

The man who is named Akiharu tilted his upper body so he could be seen more clearly by Tengen.

"Indeed sir but I have to agree with Vanessa. She's been working very diligently and deserves a long time with people that aren't us."He smiled.

"Akiharu, if I didn't know any better I would think you just called me old." Vanessa brows twitched and she faced him with a misleading smile.

"Weren't your words exactly 'Let her enjoy her youth' No offense Vanessa but your true age doesn't match you outwards appearance."

"You wanna go, old man." Annoyed by his comment she drew her face close to his.

"I am not there yet." 

"Why can't she do it at the house!" Tengen yelled, his face looking at the roof as he cried.

"Oh boy." 

Watching these people go at it Kuroko pinched her nose in embarrassment and leaned her head back.

"Wawahawa"

"I would rip the grey from your head!"

"There isn't any!"

"Don't think everyone hasn't noticed!" Vanessa added.

With the embarrassment building up she tries to seek relief by opening the driver's small door compartment with a push of a button.

"How soon?"

"We've just entered the gate, my lady."

Their destination was a flat Japanese-style school campus with three buildings surrounded by Lush and huge forests. The school has a large rectangular main building, towering several stories and with several other buildings sprinkled around the main complex.

Since it was located on a hill, the car drove up an incline and stopped at the parking space meant for the staff. When the vehicle came to a halt Kuroko existed and said her goodbyes.

"Thanks for the lift, grandpa." She smiled and waved.

"Hehe, your welcome kiddo."

"I'll help carry your stuff," Vanessa said, quickly leaving for the luggage from the drunk.

"Thank you, Vanessa."

"How about I walk you to class?" Akiharu offered.

"Hey I'm her grandpa, it should be me doing that."

"Haha, what are you saying sir? You should hurry to work."

"I could do it?" The bald head driver offered more so as a joke than being serious.

"You're the driver that makes no sense!" They both denied in unison.

"None of you are following me in." She said in a kind voice but was deadly serious.

"You sure?" They both asked.

"Mmm mm." Kuroko Shook her head and turned back around. "It's ok, see you next week." She waved off.

"Fine."

"Ready when you're ready," Vanessa said coming back from the trunk carrying several different size bags in her hands and around her shoulders.

"Wait, you're still here?" Akiharu asked, giving her the death stare.

"As a maid, I must always wait on my master, and besides I don't know where the office is."

"Even though that's true you just wanted to follow her in, didn't you? It's not like you're shy and can't ask for direction."

"Don't be ridiculous, there's no way I purposefully stayed waiting until your arguing was over so I could company the young master inside. Truly foolish." Vanessa slowly shook her head.

"Why you."

"Well played Vanessa, well played." Tengen smiled.

Seeing this Kuroko mumbled something and motioned Vanessa to follow with a "come one." 

The buildings around the area shouted Academy City, as they have radically altered the form and spatial logic of the complex to others around the world with their extensive skyway systems that parallel the many buildings. 

The main building they entered had an atrium view with classes on the left and right sides connected by three walkways. The ground floor had three long benches, chalk and bulletin boards, and two escalators leading to the second floor. Every classroom there was equipped with a whiteboard, TV-screens, and lockers to store cleaning equipment. The doors to the classes as well as the walls and floors were all silver which gave the structure a metallic feel.

"I remember the first time you came here, you were so cute with that childish grin." Vanessa reminisced and looked around.

"That was a long time ago." Kuroko averted her eye's

"Yeah, I always wanted to explore this place but the furthest I ever went was to your classroom." Vanessa paused and looked at her. " So can I explore around with you?"

"No. I have morning duties to attend to."

"Aww." Vanessa's shoulders shifted.

"Besides you can't keep the others waiting."

"Alright." She grumbled. "Guide me to the faculty office, my lady" Vanessa turned in a direction.

"Fifth floor, turn right, second to the last door."

"Ehh? You not coming?" She asked, looking back.

"There isn't any need to."

"Well I mean yea but there is still plenty of time before class begins."

"My morning routine doesn't open me up with much wiggle room, sorry."

"Ok, fine. I get it. Just don't push yourself." She relented.

"Bye. I promise to make it up to you next week." Kuroko smiled and waved.

"I'll hold you on that, Goodbye my lady." Vanessa ran off, welled up with joy. 

"Alright." 

After seeing Vanessa off Kuroko walked to her classroom at a normal pace.

There were 25 desks in total including the teachers, and hers was in the third row near the window. After resting down her bag she opened up the locker and retrieved a broom, a pale, mop bucket, and a rag. 

She first straightens the desk before sweeping the classroom. Then she went to the end of the hall to fill the pale and wipe the desks and board surfaces and finishes by mopping the floor.

"Early and studious as ever, Kuroko." Putting away the cleaning material a familiar voice called out to her.

The figure was a boy with light-colored hair, he had several short strands in his face and two bangs on his cheeks that ended at his dark-colored eyes with white pupils. He wore a white collared shirt under a black Blazer with the same color straight-legged pants.

"Morning, Miyama-Kun." She greeted him and walked to her seat.

"Last time I checked, today isn't your turn." Miyama walked towards her. "If you continue doing this no one would make the effort to do morning cleaning." 

"You mean like how I help you with yours."

"Well.." He lightly scratched his cheek and averted his eyes.

"Sigh. You need to open up more to the others."

"I feel comfortable with my existing numbers."

"You know half the class refers to you as that weird kid, right?"

"I'm fine with it. Means fewer headaches." Miyama shrugged. 

"It wouldn't kill you to show people other than me and Uiharu your complete self," Kuroko said rummaging through her bag.

"Your talking gibberish again."

"Haa. Whatever, just here the notes for Geography." She handed him her book.

"Whoever orchestrated the timetable is a demon. Couldn't they just have P.E as the last subject." Miyama complained and took a seat at her desk.

"Well as Mashima-sensei puts it 'Even with the drawing pack of your power, physical health is always important.' " She playfully mimics her sensei.

"I still can't believe the nurse agreed with his words." He took out his book and copied the notes. "Even Uiharu, someone who is bad with physical activity agrees."

"Goes to show you." Kuroko smiled and sat on a neighbors desk

"Guess who?" A back length red hair girl with long black socks asked, covering Kuroko's eyes from behind.

Her eyes were a lightish pink color and she was dressed in the same school wear as Kuroko. Her only hair accessory was a plain plastic black hair headband that even though old looked brand new.

Following behind her was a green eye's, glasses boy dressed like Miyama, and a cream hair pigtails girl with red scrunchies fixing them.

"Morning Shaei-Kun, Kuroko-chan" The cream hair pigtails girl and green hair boy greeted.

"Ahh! Totsu-chan!"

"Morning, Nana-chan, Ayumu-kun you to Tsuka-chan." Kuroko smiled.

"You ruined the surprise," Nana said to Totsu with a tearful face and released Kuroko.

"She already knew it was you."

"No, she didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"What?"

"You have to consider your the only one who does that," Miyama said, continuing to write despite the interference.

"Mmm."

"Did you tell her?" Totsu asked Miyama.

"Nope."

"Tell me what?" Kuroko looked in between the two.

"We're planning on going to the Underground Shopping Center today and want you to come with...You haven't been spending much time with us, you know?"

"We know you're busy and all but they could let you go for a single day." Ayumu continued.

"I wouldn't doubt he would say yes but he'll mostly say it so he could dodge his duties and that would just put stress on onee-sama"

"The other members of the student council can help out. Ever since you joined you've been working nonstop. I'm sure they would all agree you need some rest" Totsu told her.

"Yea! And if they say otherwise we'll march up there and give them what's what." Nana fist pump.

"Hold your horses, I'm not doing that. I rather not have my body in a worse condition than it already is."

"Cmon, Miya-Kun."

"I can't, I'm sorry but how about Saturday?"

"I'll have to make a few adjustments to my schedule but it can work through." Ayumu agreed.

"Same."

"Mmm-mmm!"

"Ehh."

Miyama looked at them confused but went back to copying the notes. There was no point in resisting. In the end, he'll find himself there and it just came down to what annoying tactic they'll use.

"Since it would be the whole day we would have to do some planning." Totsu puts a finger to her cheeks.

"Oh-oh." Ayumu raised his hand like a toddler. "I could do that. I already know the perfect place, the park." 

"The amusement park?" Miyama asked with a face that 'read really'.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Nana screamed in a fit of joy.

"Despite living here for some time I never did go there. I wonder why?" Totsu tilted her head.

"Most people label that as a children hotspot."

"Parks are for children and adults alike."

"Yeah true but it's mostly middle schoolers and lower who frequently visit.

"What time?" Totsu asked and sat on a desk.

"I get up around nine on Saturdays."

"Ok, ten then. You sure you wanna do it alone, Ayumu-Kun?"

"Give up my chance to make an itinerary? No way in hell."

"Where should we meet then?" Nana asked, taking a seat.

"Hey, can I invite people?"

"If it's Misaka-san you don't even need to ask," Ayumu answered quickly.

"What if it isn't?" Totsu folds her arms.

"Then please bring her!"

'Men.' Totsu and Nana sighed.

"Oooh, on that note bring the prez too."

"Why?" Ayuma cocked his head.

"None of your business."

'Women.'

"I'll be back, you guys." Kurko waved.

She was heading for class 2-A to find a certain someone when she spotted them in the third-floor corridor near there.

"Onee-sama!" With a brighter smile, she lunged for them and hugged her from behind."Hehehe."

Her name was Misaka Mikoto and she was dressed similarly to Kuroko, but with a red bow under a yellow Sweater vest and white loose socks. Her hair was chestnut color along with her eyes. In her hair were two little white flower hair clips pinned to her right side.

"Kuroko." Mikoto looked back shocked.

"Aaa! I just couldn't wait to see you."

"hi hi. E-eh could you let go now. You're hugging me a bit too tightly. " Her eyes were twitching abnormally as she tried to peel off her junior.

"But I don't wanna."

"Dang it, Kuroko-he-stop sniffing me."

"Your shampoo smells as magnificent as always. Nehehe"

"Ok, now you're crossing the line." Mikoto firmly grabs Kuroko's head and flexes her fingers.

"Ah-ah, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please let go Onee-sama your fingers feel like they're near penetration."

"Why did you have to phrase it like that!" Managing to separate them she begins tugging Kuroko's cheeks.

"Nehehehe. Bhfore Ig foyr ghet, du hyou whant to gfo to the amyusement bacck withm me and my froeiends?"

"When?" Mikoto stopped the punishment.

"Saturday." 

For a while, she hesitated then put her hand to her mouth for a cough. 

"..I guess I can go" She averted eye contact

"...."

'Knowing her it's that frog again.'

"My. My, Aren't you two close." Interrupted a honey-hair girl.

She wore a pair of white gloves and stockings with her second-year clothes. Nestling between her ample chest was a strap for a shoulder bag with a star adorned in the middle. Her eyes were gold-colored and had a star feature in the center.

"Hmm? When did you get here?" Kuroko asked, looking at her.

"I was here the whole time speaking to Misaka-chan."

"You two," Kuroko moved her fingers and eyes between them "speaking?"

"Not the causal type." Mikoto hissed.

"That's so mean Miska-chan" Misaki hands were behind her back as She stepped closer, innocently smiling.

"I told you to stop calling me that." Mikoto rebuked, leaning in.

"Stop calling you what, Misaka-chan?" She sneered and received a deep throat growl as a threat.

"It's good to see a brute like Misaka-chan hasn't rubbed off on you, Shirai-san."

"Ok, that's it, I'll rip you to shreds." provoked, Mikoto mimed rolling up her sleeve and stepped closer.

"Now, Onee-sama," Kuroko guides her away with her hands. "We don't want a civil war."

"What can that puny Misaka fan-club do to mine."

Misaki clasped her hands behind her back and rocked playfully.

"What's wrong with you? Doesn't your fan club already have beef with Kakine-sans." Kuroko shoots her an apprehensive look.

"Hahaha, You're so adorable and responsible. I'd love someone like you on my side, how about ditching Misaka-chan for me?" Misaki happily recovers the dangerous close distance.

"No dice. My mind, body and soul belong to Onee-sama only."

"Ah well I tried but know this I still won't give up." She swirled around. "Just a heads up he hasn't come to school yet." Her voice for the first time became normal.

"Sigh figured as much. Sorry to cut our time short, onee-sama." Kuroko glanced at her before walking away.

"It's ok." Mikoto smiled and waved goodbye.

As Kuroko leaves for the restroom she looks back and waves goodbye.

Kuroko's objective was an apartment complex in district 7 and the person she was looking for was a resident of room 104.

The apartment was an 8-storey building comprising no less than 142 rooms. The building is accessible through means of elevator and stairs or possibly via the section where the fire escape exit is positioned. 

The doors to each room have an auto-lock system with distinctive security passcodes which can be opened using duplicable green cards.

But Kuroko didn't need any of those. With her power of teleportation, she can just avoid those types of security. In an instant, she appeared in a barley lit bedroom with wooden furniture.

In the room, opposite of the door, facing the wall was a Computer chair by a desk that had a trash can beside it. To the left of the desk was a simple design dresser that doubled as two open shelf cabinets for advanced books, mangas, and novels. Wedge between the dresser and bed was a nightstand and Over the bed, there were two frameless shelves with more advanced books.

It was hard to tell what was what and traverse the area without turning on the lights but without meaningless motions, Kuroko walked up to the bed and flicked the sleeping figure.

"Owww." They groaned, opening up their eyes and sitting up. "Don't you know it's a bad idea to wake up a person with that kind of stimuli." Their hand reached out to rub the spot.

The boy was a ruby eye albino with moppy chin-length bangs. He was a skinny teen with pale skin and goes by the name Accelerator.

"Whatever." Kuroko sighed irritably and turned on the lights. "Stretch, rest, and take a bath." 

She exited the room, Leaving those words behind to make breakfast. By the time his footsteps were heard Kuroko was already finished and washing up the dishes. 

Looking at him as he was dressed appropriately in the school uniform Kuroko couldn't help but cringe. She wasn't sure why exactly that always happened but she guessed it had to deal with someone with such a grouchy mannerism looking like they belonged.

As she laid down his breakfast and goes to the kitchen to make some tea Accelerator voicelessly yawn and sat at the coffee table with an unenthusiastic expression.

Taking a bite of his morning meal his face became slightly resentful. The breakfast she made was coffee french toast. Normally anyone would be grateful for something like that but he was different and the reason had to more so do with the fact that she was using his black coffee to limit his dosage than anything else.

When he finished his first toast she pushed a cup of chamomile tea towards him.

"..I'm not drinking that crap." He twists his face away.

"Oh. Are you saying you rather eat your breakfast dry? Sounds stupid... buuttt just to let you know I hid the pack in the fridge and your entire school stash." She said pushing it even closer.

Accelerator grumbled and drank his tea with his meal then left to his bedroom under the guise of packing his bag when in truth he was planning on retrieving a canned coffee from his hidden stash. 

It was hidden behind three stacks of reading material on the dresser bookshelves. The two stacks had things like manga's, novels, and textbooks while the third were tons of porn magazines.

Now he had zero interest in those kinds of things. If he wanted porn he would have used the internet, those books only served one purpose and one purpose only. 

How would a person react if they discovered a stash of porn mags? Some would get curious and investigate your taste but more often than not they would get embarrassed and put back everything.

He was a man of science. Facts and statistics played an important role in his strategy. It didn't matter who saw these, from his collected data of specific individuals no one would or should trouble his stash.

When he pulled out the last layer of books he was met with nothing but the wooden color board.

"For fuck sake."

The Student Council office. This was a big room holding a projector, a portable whiteboard, ten Beanbags, three bookshelves, a mini-fridge, and a wall glass display case.

Near the automatic window blinds were the president's desks and in the center a U-shaped table with 10 comfy seats. To the left of that was a rectangular table between two polish brown couches.

It was in that room a cushioned thump was heard resonating throughout. The sound was from Accelerator hitting the couch after being teleported.

In a split second Kuroko appeared above him then as fast as she appeared she disappeared and reappeared standing next to him.

"Couldn't you be a little more gentle." He complained, sitting up and looking at her back.

"Just be thankful I landed you back first rather than head first on the couch." She walked away.

'Did I do something?' 

Not wanting to press her for an answer he walked to his desk and took a seat.

"Here." She dropped a bundle of papers on his desk. 

"Review these and the presentation before the meeting ." She pointed at them.

Accelerator picked them up, straightened them, and glossed over the documents.

"List of candidates, equipment request," He paused and glanced her way.

"It's your job to pick what gets denied and accepted but students don't necessarily agree to that so the money they raise goes to their class to do what they want but the teachers want you to eliminate anything that has no place."

"And here I thought that fundraiser was worthless because the school has a big budget."

"It shows school spirit. Something you lack."

"Yea. Yea. Yea" He continued to scan through. "... Another fan club dispute." 

"Why are there always so many." He sighed.

"Unless we can fix how Misaki and Kakine-san see each other this will resume."

"Might as well give up, those two are too alike than they want to admit it and they won't take Shizuri's approach."

"Well, we must still try." She walked to the door. "I'm going to deliver this copy of the fundraiser budget to Chio-sensei. Make sure to go through those thoroughly." She left him alone.

"Man, this is such a pain." Accelerator said more to himself than to Kuroko.

About a minute passed when someone entered the office which was signaled by the creaking of the door hinges and alerting Accelerator was reading through the paper.

"Sup." The girl said with a cock of her head and received a grunt as a greeting.

She was named Mugino Shizuri, a third-year girl with back length tea-color hair. The atmosphere around was a mixture of delinquency and a high-class ojou-sama as she took a seat in the waiting area. She was dressed like a second-year but had a light brown vest and purple bow with white socks instead. 

A couple of seconds after Accelerator looked through the documents he heard crunching sounds and stares at Mugino. 

In her hand was a gift plastic wrap filled with cookies and she was chewing one of them as she was on her phone.

"Didn't we talk about that."

"Yup. But I never said I would adhere."

Releasing an annoyed sigh he got back to reading and a short time later the other Council members gathered and huddled in groups. Tsuchimikado, Eztali, and Awaki were in the beanbags talking while on their phones. And Misaka, Worst(Mio), Misaki, Gunha, and Mugino were at the waiting area playing Karuta.

"..Where's Kakine?" Accelerator gaze looked over everyone.

"I'm sure you can guess what that womanizer is doing."

"Sigh, why'd he even join." He hanged his head.

A peal of small laughter came from Awaki after hearing his remark. She was a third-year with long dark red hair tied into two low ponytails.

"What's so funny?" Accelerator asked deadpan.

"I was just thinking about how easy it was to persuade him as opposed to you. We had to try our damnedest just to get you to consider."

"Now, now Awaki you have to remember Tou-san would have been like Kakine if Kuroko hadn't put a leash on his lazy ass." Worst tittered. 

She was Mikoto's oldest sister and like Awaki she was a third year. Her hair and eyes were similar to Mikoto's but with bags and orange irises.

"Screw the both of you."

"Not until I have a ring on my finger, sweetheart." Awaki raised her hand as an indication.

"I might let you, but I wouldn't want to make your right hand jealous."

"Woah!" Gunha laughed. "You two have a lot of guts, declaring your love so boldly!"

With the hit of that statement and the addition of Awaki's freaking out, Worst guffawing became even louder. But before everyone almost failed at stifling their laughter the door to the office opened. 

The sudden guest was a worn down Kuroko holding and wearing several different size bags and after a brief moment of struggling, Gunha and Mikoto took a couple and rest them in some beanbags then plopped back down on the couch with Kuroko following.

"Haven't we talked about that." Kuroko turned to her neighbor on the left.

"Indeed," Mugino replied.

"Well?"

"Too bad," Mugino said, placing a cookie in her mouth and chewed. "If I have to put up with these idiots everyday, imma eat. On another matter, shouldn't you tell Sogita to wear his clothes properly?"

"Sigh, he is too much. Every teacher just lets him do it because it's a headache to deal with him."

Unlike the other boys, the one name Sogita Gunha wears his blazer over his shoulders like a cape. His white shirt sleeve was rolled up and he wore a white headband around his windswept spiky black hair. 

The lord knows Kuroko tried her best With Gunha and no one couldn't say she didn't but his personality was just too overwhelming. Even more so than the people in this room.

Accelerator had just finished with the presentation when he received a message on his phone. Pulling it out he saw a message from Tsuchimikado. A picture was attached with the message 'Check this out'. Opening it up he saw it was Awaki in a black bunny suit with white stockings.

"Hahaha." Tsuchimikado burst into laughter. He was a blonde wearing sunglasses and had a golden chain around his neck.

"Damn it, Tsuchimikado!" Awaki rose, a mixture of anger and embarrassment on her face. "Delete that now!" Her finger stretched out to Accelerator but her gaze never left Tsuchimikado, basically meaning the both of them.

"Yea. Yea" Accelerator waved away and went through his phone. "Right after I upload it to the cloud." He mumbled

"Oh come on Musujime, you looked adorable in that costume." Misaki pointed out and looked at her.

"I have to agree there." Eztali, a third-year with black wavy hair, said nonchalantly and smiled. 

"You shut up. Shouldn't you be fantasizing about Misaka." She then glares at the laughing Tsuchimikado.

Hearing those words Kuroko unleashed her signature death stare against her rival and like always he gave her a smile.

"Ehh." Was the only coherent word that left the cookie stuffed mouth Mikoto.

"Misaka-san in a bunny costume, now that is hilarious." Misaki chuckled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Mikoto leaned forward, her mouth still full.

"Careful, you crumbs are getting me." Misaki stuttered.

"That sounds like it would be amazing! Especially when combined with Mio-sama!" Kuroko gushed.

"Tou-san is the only one I'd wear it for." Worst glance his way, teasing.

"Nyeh. Hey, Mugino w-"

"Finish that sentence and your ass will be melted." Mugino narrowed her eyes at Tsuchimikado.

"Ehhehehe...It would make perfect material for the scrapbook ." He said quickly. 

"I can't believe you asked Mugino before me." Misaki pouts.

"That sounds like fun, are the boys going to dress as bunny butlers?" Gunha asks high-spirited.

"I like the way you think, Gunha. Let's do it." Worst said brightly.

"No way in hell." Accelerator immediately replied. 

He wanted to cut off the conversation before it led to worst , picturing him in a bunny suit. However, he was already too late because she already did and cute was an understatement for describing him.

"Did you play a part in him finding out?" Awaki narrowed her eyes curiously at Misaki.

"Did you forget he is a maid-connoisseur." Misaki retorts. "Someone like him can easily find one of my shops."

"I can't disagree with that but my gut is. Anyway, consider that the last time I do you a favor." Awaki, tired of standing, went back to sitting in the beanbag.

"Why did you even work for her? You know she would make you do something embarrassing or were you giving into your masochist tendencies." Accelerator asked her then smiled seeing Awaki's frown.

"A masochist shota con. That sounds scary." Mikoto shuddered.

"Lock up your children's parents, there's a predator on the loose." Tsuchimikado amplifies his voice with his hands.

"She needs some guts beaten into her!" Gunha yelled, standing up with his fist in the air.

"Bwahaha, this is too much. There tearing you a new one, Awaki-chan." Worst laughed and held her stomach.

"I am not a shota-con! I did it in case I need a favor. Friend or not Misaki doesn't do anything for free."

"Hey, just business," Misaki stated.

"Yo." A voice called out with the sound of the door. 

It was a third-year boy with shoulder-length dirty blond hair. His smile was a mixture of cockiness, false warmth, and kindness.

"7:20am. Right on the dot, again. Would you stop doing that, it's annoying."

"Nope. It's the perfect way to piss you off." Kakine smiled and walked in.

"He does have a point." Worst agreed.

"Ok everyone, it's time for the Monday meeting." Kuroko clapped and they all took a seat at the U-shape table.

11:15 am had just hit, the meeting was already over, homeroom was done and no one was absent. As easy as falling off a log, foreign language and engineering was done with and now break time has passed. For the fourth session in the third year, Accelerator and the others had Mathematics.

"Ok, we still have a lot of time before you guy's move on too..um?" Said the shaggy blue hair teacher. He was wiping off the board before he checked his watch.

"History." A purple ringlet curls girl answered.

"Thanks, Hokaze." The teacher took a stack of papers from his draw. 

"Your welcome." 

Walking in front of the desk and leaning on it he continued.

"So I would like you all to finish these worksheets before that time but before I share them out I would like your home works." After receiving the homework, he called up Hokaze, who nodded and passed around the class assignments.

The stacks of papers were eight sheets thick and had a cover page with the topic and each student's name. When all the papers were gone only two people remained without any.

"Mr. Accelerator, you and Mr. Gunha will do 8 extra worksheets. Gunha you've missed a few classes and Accelerator this is punishment for your harsh words on the trip to MIT." The teacher explained, handing them theirs personally.

"That's what you get for playing the hero," Kakine whispered and snickered.

"Sigh, for the last time Kakine, I don't swing that way." Accelerator turned his head away and everyone in the class burst into laughter, even the teacher, Riku-sensei.

"A-ah." Kakine stammered. "You frustrate me!" He yelled at Accelerator, furious.

"Still chasing him even after rejection." Mugino shook her head in disbelief from behind him.

"Shove it."

"Ho. Ho. I don't want anything up my prostate unlike you."

"Watch it, fairy boy, Tou-san is mine and Awaki-chan's prey." Worst grind.

"Why am I pulled into this?!" Awaki responded quickly.

"I do not feel that way about him!"

"It's ok man, there's no need to deny it. We all see how you look at him and try to gain his attention. Listen, I support it and will help in your endeavor." Gunha consoled.

"Die, you delusional quack."

"If you think you can outclass us, try it." Worst warned, her smile more playful than usual. 

"It's a battle of guts and romance, gutsy romance!"

"Nehaha. Seriously though, if Tou-san didn't do it one of us would have."

"You mean you?" Awaki half sarcastically asked.

"Most definitely. For a math teacher to be that spiteful to his students because he didn't get his dream job, yuck."

"If I was in his class I would have decked him." Repositioning her feet Mugino smirked.

"Even though that's true and he'd deserve that, Mr. Accelerator went overboard with his insults. We were guesses there and his behavior reflected badly on Academy City."

"We should be glad Mio didn't speak up then." Yawned a black hair sleepy eye girl, monotonously.

"No more of this talk, time is wasting." The teacher clapped and sat at his desk.

"Well, that's weird." Gunha voiced.

"What's weird?" Riku-sensei asked.

"The clouds passing over Tokyo." Gunha pointed at the window, his classmates looking at him with confusion.

"What are you talking about." The teacher approached.

"What the..." 

He was stunned at the sight and seeing their teachers' reaction, the members of 3-A investigated. The hell, huh, hmm, and ... was the most common thing said among them.

There, off in the distance were some oddly colored clouds. They were of a spooky-ruby red color. It was lifeless and motherless as it envelops and consumes the strong light of the sun. The view above Tokyo became unfamiliar and hazy. Like some kind of supernatural creature it noiselessly crawled its way to Academy City, encapsulating the view in between. The mysterious condense vapor never licked the tall metal and electrical construct of the city in leading science. Instead, it warped the blue sky above in its terrifying color.

However, no one freaked out. Despite this possible being dangerous they were all composed. There was no need for them to run around and make sure there weren't any breaches, they didn't have to worry cause the building windows were sealed. They only stood there, thinking of a possible explanation.

light wavelength and humidity of the air. A phenomenon similar to algae changing the watercolor or maybe some kind of bacteria. All of those are good guesses but none of them could explain the entire scene.

Then a few minutes later man's age-old enemy, time, arrived to banish it into nothingness. The sky cleared up and the world came back to its original color. Within a couple more minutes blood like rain showered the city. The rain seemed mist-like also as it came down in thin sheets and increasing in intensity when fat droplets gave into gravity.

For an hour this continued and no one still freaked out. The results were announced on the school's intercom that there was nothing odd about the collected sample. It was said to be water with sands heat capacity, why it was red is still under investigation but they are awaiting an update from a lab. Since there was no sounding of the city-wide emergency siren school continued like normal, all they had to do was isolate themselves from the outside, follow safety protocol and everything would be alright.

History class went smoothly and everyone ate their lunches, most people in the cafeteria, some theirs or other classrooms, and a small few in the student council office. Currently, the 3rd years were in Geography learning about storm surges and discharges with a drawn graph as a reference when...

"Ahhh!" "Awww!" "Arghh!" Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

They heard, ear-splitting, miscellaneous, horror-struck screams followed by crowds of terrified children flooding the corridors.

Color had left their once bright faces and their pupils desperately searched for light. As they passed 3-A's door the rumbling of their feet became distant but the howling became stronger, they were coming from everywhere, the floors below, the classes down, and the classes on their left.

"What the!" The teacher rose from his seat and approach the door. He was a slim build man with bangles black hair and eyes, who's name Seta Kaiba.

"Run!" One bloodied boy shouted, running.

"Hey, wait!" Seta stretched his hand to stop him but the boys' blood-soaked arm slipped through his grip.

"Dammit." His fist slammed the door frame. "Stay here, all of you." Seta glance at the students then dashed off to the source of this mayhem.

Everyone across the walkway to the other classes ran out screaming and flaring in horror. Something like that concerned the members of 3-A but none were afraid. confuse yes but afraid far from it. Each one of them was high-level espers so any danger this proposed was non-existent to them.

As the strongest and as the president of the student council Accelerator decided to follow to investigate.

"Stay here, I'll check out everything."

When he stepped outside the class and looked left he saw his teachers face glued to class 3-D's open door. His eyes were wide open as if awoken with cold water. He watched inside the classroom with such attention it was as if missing one vital detail could mean the end of his life. He was shaking in his shoes, panic-stricken with disharmonious breathing.

Accelerator turned and walked his way, standing near him to see what caught his attention.

The atmosphere that had once dwelt within that class was gone. The scenery was more so an unkept slaughterhouse than anything else.

There, laying on the floor like toys in an just used kindergarten playroom were dead carcasses, their limbs were at awkward angles, and heads held in such a way that they cannot be sleeping. Each one of them was different, some were pitted on each other and some were lolling against desks, chairs, and walls; their grayed flesh torn into pieces making the process of being moved carefully impossible. Deep cavity bite marks spread around their entire lifeless body, leaving glistening red gelatin with or without very rare bones being exposed. Most were gouged from across the gut and spilling out a den of blood-covered pink snakes.

And...in the middle.... standing...scattered through the scene taken from a horror movie were five students, three boys, and two girls.

Strewn around their mouths, intertwined with flesh, saliva, and blood, was crimson. Their eyes were a pure sea of pitch black, like inside the void of space and their hands wore gloves of blood with flesh under the nails.

The color quickly drained from Seta's face as they finally noticed him.

"Pant...Pant.. eee" He took a few steps back, slid down the railing made from glass and metal frame, and brought his knees up to his chest. After three quick heavy breathing, leaving his trembling form, he ran off shrieking.

"Really." Accelerator clicked his tongue. Unlike Seta he was calmly standing there, not a hint of cold sweat present.

"Sigh."

He flicked the air, sending a powerful gust of wind that threw them backward. Rather than being knocked out, after hitting the wall as he intended, they got up and charged at him with a beastly roar. Before they could reach, however, Accelerator closed the door and a dull impact followed seconds later.

It seems the scared teacher acted as a plot twist to a book and gained the attention of a few students as they peeked through their classes door. One of them, that sunglasses blond, walked up to him.

"Nyeh, what's up?" He was not frightened nor was he afraid when he called out.

"Hmm?"

"What? You didn't think I would run off, did you? Mind giving an overview."

"Don't get it myself but long story short looks like cannibalism."

"Oh ho," Tsuchimikado shifted his gaze. " more are coming." He pointed down the corridor. Coming from the bathroom were three drooling cannibalistic boys.

"Man such a pain." Accelerator looked away towards the higher classes.

"Eztali! I need you to go to the intercom and tell everyone to hide in the gymnasium. Awaki! you teleport everyone on this floor who is frozen with fear and the rest of you protect as many people as possible and guide them to the gym. Remember those are our fellow students so don't kill them."

Unbeknownst to him, though, a certain headband boy had already left long ago to do just that. All of them nodded and when the muffles of sounds dissipated those who peeked out the classes disappeared as a blur.

"What am I going to do, prez?" Tsuchimkado pointed at himself.

"You and I will deal with them up here. Limit the damage and buy Awaki time."

"Nyeh, k!"

"Alright then." Accelerator said in between a smirk.

3 minutes and 30 seconds passed. Accelerator and Tschimikado were still busy fighting those three children. During that short period, those three never used any powers. They seemed to lack the basic function of thinking. 

Along that time Accelerator decided to not use his so he could test out his close combat skills, and their capabilities but that didn't change the fact that fighting them was difficult since they were impossible to stun.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" Those creatures locked inside 3-D constantly hit the door. "Raaa! Reiii! Raghh!" The eagerest to taste fresh human flesh never died despite not seeing any.

It was an ongoing battle of three against two in that corridor.

Accelerator sidestepped their outstretched arm, grabbed it and swept their feet. When they lost balance his hand followed through and thrust them into the glass framed by a metal railing.

Tsuchimikado did the same but flipped them vertically and as their head bounced from the floor he stomped them out.

The third one that ran towards them got mercilessly kicked at the back of the knee by Tsuchimikado and when they fell to their knees Accelerator bashed the side of their head into the door.

But just like before they got up like it was nothing. Acts of blunt force attacks did nothing but momentarily keep them off.

"This is becoming too repetitive for me." Tsuchimikado smiled. "Same."

They were both there to buy time for the teleporter Awaki but neither shouted for her to hurry up. They knew when she was finished she would retrieve them but since she hasn't she was most likely doing that for the scattered students of 3-A.

"Here they come!" Those three cannibalistic creatures step forward a bit and they both readied themselves. Like on command all three lunged at them, mouths wide open ready to take maw like bites into both their flesh but...

Within an instant, both Accelerator and Tsuchimikado appeared in the gymnasium full of people, another reason why he deactivated his power.

The gymnasium was to the north, it was a four-floor building that was the size of a football field. The first floor was a giant basketball court with a staging area, retractable bleachers, and an open face upstairs walkway for viewing. The second and third floors were divided between sex and coupled as bath and restroom facilities. The fourth floor was an indoor swimming pool area that had a giant skylight for natural lighting. It has three main sections: the main swimming pool area, the audience's seats, and the changing rooms.

"Wooo. Thanks" Tsuchimikado stretches his body as Awaki vomits in a nearby trash bin.

"Good to see everything went smoothly."

Awaki wiped the little vomit from her mouth and walked back to them.

"...Ha. ha, Yeah but a lot of people died. Most of the people here are scared and those that aren't and are espers want to use their powers to kill. Only the teachers are keeping them in line."

"Understandable. Friends and families were eaten alive in front of them." Tsuchimikado arched his back, his hands on his hips. "What makes this situation complicated is that we don't get what's up with those black eye students and can only hope the adults can fix them, that's why we refrain from killing or seriously hurting them."

"There they are, hey!" The student body walked towards them.

"Mmmm." Accelerator turned their way. " Glad to see you all made it." He smirked.

"Of course" "Who do you take me for." "It was a pain but hey... it's over." "My job was simple." "Same to you." "We can't call ourselves the elite if we didn't." "Tehe." They replied.

"Nice work. You saved a lot of people but we still have more to do. Mr. Shusuke and two other teachers want to talk to us." kuroko smirked.

"Only three teachers?"

"Yeah. When everything went down the teachers were the first to go since they tried to protect the students."

"Sigh, where are they." Accelerator scratched his head.

"Yeah, go ahead. we'll be waiting here." Tsuchimikado waved.

"You're not serious?"

"We can guess what they want. All of us don't have to go to hear them out, that's your job."

"And I need to rest." Awaki dismissively waved.

"Such a pain, fine go do whatever."

"Was always going to." Worst whispered into his ears then left with the others.

Accelerator and Kuroko made their way to one of the storage rooms which was behind the bleachers. Inside the rectangular room were packs of boxes, folding chairs, mattresses, poles, javelin, ropes, three lockers, hurdles, and metal baskets of balls.

Seated in the middle of the room were the three first-year teachers. Mr.Fuji, a brown hair pretty man dressed in a white unbuttoned shirt over a blue v neck t-shirt, approached them.

"Nice to see you all made it safely. We know you've done a lot for the students but we would like you to do one more thing." He said shaking their hands, followed by the other two. 

One was a black hair ponytail woman dressed in a black tank top and army pants. Her name was Ichiko and she had a dog tag around her neck and wore shades.

"As the student council president, as a member of their peers as well as level 5's, we ask you to help us calm the distressed students. By hitting those criteria those of you from the council can help fasten this process. Too many have died and at such a young age." Ms. Airi continued.

"We're really sorry for pushing this on you but please." Akira pleaded. He was a chubby man with short black hair wearing a collar white t-shirt.

"Leave it to us, sir." 

Accelerator was a moment behind Kuroko to answer. After finishing up their business they joined up with the other council members in a different storage room to prepare the speech.

"I'll write up the speech," Kuroko said determined and Accelerator nods. "I'm counting on you."

The speech seemed to have touched the students. By working in tandem with the teachers they were successful in calming a vast majority of the crowd.

"All we have to do is wait until Anti-skill arrives to evacuate us. Until then we wait here."

"Why the hell should we do that?! With our powers, we can easily overturn them!" A chubby boy with an Italian haircut interjected.

"We need to take things in our own hand's people. Those are not the same people we all know..there..monsters!" A brown-haired boy with a hoodie under his school shirt spat.

"Exactly and what makes you think they'll come." A boy with long black hair spoke up. "We've all seen the forums of people begging to be saved and not a single one post any news of being saved. Many of us have done the same but look... no one came. They probably think we're all dead or one of those things."

"You cannot do that. You'll seriously injure the child at best. We need to wait out until a method to bring them back is developed. Those are your friends out there.

"Those friends ate and murder two of my other friends!" The brown hair boy exclaimed.

"Enough. Do you think that less of Academy city? That red rain caused everything to go crazy, no one did it out of their free will. I'm also sure that scientists are working around the clock to fix this. Listen here, the first priority of this city is the students. We have been set as the first to be evacuated in any emergency. Unless they know our status, no even if they didn't they would not hesitate to rescue us. Anti-skill isn't as shallow as you're pointing them out to be because that's how those people truly are. Anti-skill is volunteer teachers who go on dangerous missions and fight rampaging espers because they want to help children. You've bare witness to this many times and today was the most prevalent. How many adults do you think died to help you escape? How many of you would still be alive if not for them? They've always had our best interest at heart and they will still. Just wait passionately until they come."

Hearing those harsh words from the council president the children that tried to ruin the piece went silent. Accelerator and the other student body went to the other storage room up the stairs to the walkway and Accelerator took out one of the folded chairs and sat in the corner by the window.

"So Tou-san." Worst pulled out a chair of her own. "How much of what you said do you believe?" She sat improperly.

"....I do believe in most of it."

"That's cruel man." Tsuchimikado and Worst giggled.

"Not like we don't see where he is coming from," Kuroko said, taking a seat.

"Anti-Skill are the type of people I said they are...but...that's why I don't believe everything. They will get overwhelmed by those sick people and die if they don't try to hurt them. Anti-Skill doesn't use live ammo on children and that'll hinder progress."

"We get it," Said Misaki as she and the others took a seat. "But even if it's a drawback Anti-skill will still stay true to themselves."

Accelerator pulled out his phone and scans through it. He was searching different forums to check the status of other people.

"Any change?" Kakine asked.

"Nope."

"Well, at least we can use the argument that Academy City has a shit ton of schools to ease the restless," Mugino said going through her phone.

"But how long and what are going to do about it?" Mikoto wondered.

"We'll just come up with an escape plan," Accelerator confirmed

The two sessions of Geography ended three minutes ago and students were scattered in the gymnasium. The bloody few were taking a bath and washing their clothes to be dried on the roof and those on the highest floor were taking their minds off of the current situation by playing in the pool. On the lowest floor, students were grouped up conversing and messing on their phones until they heard a loud banging sound coming from the entrance.

"Bang! Bang! Let me in! Bang! Please you have to let me enter!"

"What the.." A bald head boy stood up/

"Wait..isn't that Ms. Airi's voice?" A first-year braided girl asks.

"Bang! Please!!!"

Hearing the sound Accelerator and the others rushed outside and stood on the walkway to observe the commotion.

'Damn it. Those teachers. Did they really think it was smart to look for food on their own? They were too fucking impulsive and forgot about the time.' He tightly gripped the railing.

"Impossible, how would she be out there and why?" A green-haired boy asked, panicked.

"But that does sound like her." A separate group of students ran to the storage room. When it opened an unknown teacher overwhelmed them.

They all went into a flurry screaming and crying as he desperately tried to eat them. Struggling, they managed to push him away and escape into the petrified crowds.

The moment they ran away, Awaki didn't hesitate. With a swing of her military flashlight, she teleported him away. The room went silent for a while before everyone dispersed shocked at the revelation.

"N-no way...the teachers..we're so dead." A black hair student fell to his knee.

"See! What did I tell you! The only way we can survive is if we drop our morals!"

"Bu-but." Stuttered a blue-haired boy.

"But what! Open your eyes-"

Accelerator knew he had to do something. There was nothing worse than having people be scared. When scared people lose all rationality and become monsters that would do anything to survive. So issued commands to the council.

"Tch, Kuroko. I believe those were first years, I want you and Misaki to bring those who were bitten up here. Kakine, Misaka calm down the students. Mugino I need you to check down there." When they dispersed he and the remaining others went back inside to wait.

After a few minutes, all of the council members were back inside the storage area and with them were two guests. With chair against chair, opposite each other, they were gagged and tied up.

"Haaa...what am I doing?"

"Hmm? Why are you complaining? This is what you wanted." Eztali pointed out.

"Yea...but still..."

"You thought this was like one of those situations from a movie or manga didn't you?" Awaki asked.

"We don't know anything about what the red rain did to everyone so this was a necessary precaution.."

"Still doesn't change the fact that it's hilarious you thought like that." Kakine snigger.

"How long does it take for them to turn again?" Misaki pegged on

"Not funny."

"I think it depends on the person," Gunha replied.

"If I remember correctly the average is 6 hours." Kuroko relayed.

"Waa. We have to wait that long." Awaki complained

"We don't really have anything to do." Unabara continued.

"I wonder if it will be a silent turn?" Mugino asked.

"No worries, we already gagged them." Tsuchimikado reminded.

"Couldn't Miss cow deal with that?" Mokoto said, pointing.

"Pain."

"I get the point, can you stop now?"

"Oh come on, a bit more?" Worst begged.

"No, this is serious."

"Man you're a buzzkill." She mumbled

"Sigh..." He glanced at Mugino "What of the storage room?"

"As expected, they left through the window. It had a bloody handprint from the teacher attempting to crawl in. He's dead outside, whether from blood lost first is a mystery cause outside near the window his body is being eaten."

"Seems something is happening." Unabara guides them with his finger.

Out of nowhere both, their bodies started to convulse. Trying to pull away from the tape holding them down they let out muffled cries and dampen the cloth gags with their saliva. Fingers moved in stiff and awkward motions while chests violently hyperventilated. Their cries became louder and louder, forcing Misaki to silence them with her power. Slowly, their breathing weakens and by a couple of seconds stopped.

"So that's a result of the bites," Awaki said.

"Beats turning into one of them and eating people." Misaki shrugs.

"Ahh, yes. We don't need you bigger than you already are."

Before Misaki could violently and repeatedly press the buttons on her remote to hurt Misaka Accelerator spoke up.

" We can't stay here any longer."

"You have a plan?" Unabara asked.

"Yup but first we need to do a rescue mission."

Accelerator tampered with his phone for a few minutes then went to the stage area. In less than 3 minutes every student in the gym building gathered on the lowest floor. With everyone gathered Accelerator made his intentions known.

"Alright listen up. We are planning on going to an underground bunker in district 23."

"We're really gonna leave?" A girl with Kaguya haircut asked

"What about waiting for Anti-Skill?" A boy with extremely low hair questioned.

"Academy City is a place for learning. The amount of schools existing is absurdly large. I'm sure if we wait they will come but how long is unknown. Food is a concern and even with teleportation that just runs risks since the slightest miscalculation means death."

"You do have a point." A girl with a Rize hairstyle agrees.

"Doesn't that mean we're going to hurt them?" A boy with generic hair asks.

"Hurt them, ruff them up all that's just semantics."

"Weren't you against that?" The same brown hair boy asked.

"I don't recall ever disagreeing with the idea."

"E-eh."

"Tell me something, can you really say my meaning of hurt them and ruffling them up is the same as yours?"

"..."

"That's how you really thought, huh. Put that away for now because we have to retrieve those students who are scattered around the school."

"B-but their location?"

"Already have it. The internet still works so all I had to do was have them message me the locations." Accelerator shook his phone. "There is something you all must know first though. We are walking there." 

"Huh" What" Why!" "District 23 is far ways away?"

"I'm going to be wringing the teleporters dry. In order to get everyone, they are needed and don't think I'm asking for permission from you non-teleporters."

Every teleporter who's a level 3 and up was partnered with two guards with blunt force powers. The largest of survivors were hiding in the auditorium and only Awaki and Kuroko were assigned there. Along with being tasked to teleport the separated students, Kuroko was to teleport Awaki.

This operation lasted about 45 minutes and was now time for phase two.

"Gunha we're counting on you. Among the six of us, your powers are best suited for fighting them, its blunt and it protects you as well as covers for others."

"You can count on me." Gunha gave a thumbs-up with a delighted expression.

The attack force was split into four groups, the front, left, right, and back. Each was a mix of normal telekinetics, Aero-telekinetics, Geo-telekinetics, and hydro-telekinetics espers. After the lookout on the roof relayed the status of the sick it was time to put phase two into action.

At the moment when the two students opened the double open doors and a large influx of sick rushed inside.

"AMAZING... PUNCH!!" Gunha screamed, punching the air. What was supposed to be a normal scene turned into something unbelievable. 

Released from his fist was a mysterious power with tremendous pressure that blew away all of the invading sick.

With gunha leading the charge everyone ran outside and went in formation, a filled circle with four separated arcs. Those sick who were wandering around aimlessly were right there in large numbers blocking their path.

Those who used hydrokinesis replenished their supply with the buckets of water everyone in the center carried. They were making their way through the football field fighting a large wall of the sick.

Gunha threw two quick punches towards a group of sick running towards him, sending them flying along with thunderous sounds, dirt, and dust clouds. Each time Accelerator flicked his wrist gust of winds shot out and pushed back the incoming sick. Hydro, Aero, Geo, and normal telekinesis flew around the field knocking down any enemies who dare approach.

The more of them they took down the more of the sick were drawn.

This play continued as they moved past the fencing around the field and wove their way between trees and buildings leading up to the main school complex.

Their destination was District 23 to the eastern side. Since they were in the 7th school district they had to cut through districts 5 and 18 to reach there but first, they must pass the main building area and make it into the mountains.

Something more difficult than it sounded. Midway through the battle as they continued to counter each of the sick, a random number of people in the attack groups suddenly stopped firing their powers. 

"Huh?" "What?" "...." "I don't get it."

They were standing there staring at their hands with vigorous intent, confused and trembling. And with eyes wide and mouths partly open they finally processed what was wrong.

"W-what's going on?! My power, Why?! Why isn't it working!!"

"A-ah! N-n-no.." A group of the sick stepped closer to one student, their thirst never-ending. "Pant..stay pack! KYAAHH!" Gripping his body tightly they began to take huge bites out of him. His skin and flesh were pulled from his body and crammed into their mouth fast to be consumed like melted cheese. He released a scream from deep within that forced its way from his mouth.

"UGH GURGH GUE!!" "GAHHH!!" "GUHH ARGHH!!" "GUHHH ARGHH!!" "GAKK!! "UWHAAAA WHARRRGGGHHH!!" "UGHH!!" "GARGHH!!" Their desperate cries tore through the air and echoed throughout the terrain.

one by one, two by twos, three by threes. Those few students who were in a momentary daze were pounced by the sick and fell victim to their only obsession.

"Yhaa! sva nfj aaaa khh!" A girl sounds out with teeth locked on her throat. The scene was reminiscent of a group of lovers fighting over one person, pulling them from all sides. In less than a second, she was silent due to her pharynx being ripped out. She was left to choke on her blood, tears trickling her cheeks as she helplessly watches them crunched into her with their clenched teeth and rapidly, stuffing their mouths full.

"Argh..ha nhu. H-hjp meh" groaned a crying boy every few seconds. He was laying on the ground, his face closed in a grimace, his skin pale and clammy from blood as a few of the sick acted like a pack of starving wolves. They ate into him noisily, slurping, and grabbing a handful of his innards. The slab of meat hanging from the corner of their mouths danced in the air as they moved in for more.

"flaa gyahaa" Barely audible sound left a rugby dog pile of sick. Whoever That person is was fully surrounded, not even the color of their shoes could be seen. The only evidence apart from their voice that suggested it was not a sick was the pool of blood leaking from the pile and the hand reaching out to the sky, hoping for help.

While few of the students were pierced in the brains by fear, ignited to stand or run, a black spiky hair boy with a small few ran into the devilish fray to rescue their comrades. To be a hero or a coward? Those were the choices but those brave souls didn't hesitate to pick the former over the latter.

12 minutes were spent fighting but they all managed to make it through the fierce battle to the mountains, though at the cost of 19 lives.

Those who survived were sprawled out underneath the kingdom of trees that stretch upwards and outwards to drink the sun rays. The lumpy roots projecting through the soil acted as a seating area for those who were tired.

Existing there was a heavy atmosphere that ran its course through many's mind and body. Drained of all hope they rested there, sank to their knees, bleak and sobbing. It was more than low morale, some struggled to keep their tears silent and others suffered emptiness that slowly nibbled its way inside like a hungry rat.

"So many of us died." one student whispered. His whole body hung limp and his eyes were light pink.

"Why did this have to happen? Today was supposed to be a normal school day. " A girl whispered, her hands covering her face.

"This must be some choke." A boy burst into hysterical laughter.

"Damn it!" The side of a fist slammed on a tree trunk. "This-this bullshit! What the hell happened down there?!" He forcefully grabs a boy beside him.

"Hey. let him go," Mugino demanded. "none of us could have predicted what happened." She added as the boy release the other one.

"How the hell are we to survive if we run the risk of losing our powers?!" He asked exasperatedly.

"We depend on each other." Mugino's gaze left him. "Listen, for now, none of us are to use our powers unless necessary. We need to find out how, why, and discrepancies first." She yelled to the others.

"Hey, couldn't you control the sick?" Worst asked. She was standing in a separate area, leaning against a tree and talking to Misaki, who was sitting.

"One would think that but for some reason I can't." Misaki sighed. "They don't even stop, it's not like I get repel, or meet interference or anything, my commands do get through but they just don't execute."

"Well damn." Worst muttered, folding her arms.

Though they were a few meters away from everyone they both could hear all the conversations, Mugino giving the students commands, Accelerator talking to Tsuchimikado, and even the one between Mikoto and Kuroko.

"You know if you ask it, I will follow you," Kuroko said, smiling at Mikoto's back. She was at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the buildings, with one hand leaning on a trunk and the other going through her phone.

"I know but with circumstances as bad as they are, I rather not have you follow me on a suicide mission," Mikoto replied in a soft voice, stopping her thumb but not looking back.

"That just makes me want to go with you more." Kuroko huffed and walked closer but stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

"Then why not let me join you?"

Accelerator emerged from the trees and ambled towards the two. Mikoto didn't react but Kuroko did.

"Wha-w-when did you?"

"Just like you, I knew she was going to do this."

"You can't, though, the surviving students need you," Mikoto said, turning around to meet his gaze.

"No they don't and you know that. After everything that's happened, they all hate me and want to see me die. It's best if Kuroko leads them, she's very dependable, liked, and has a better standing outside her affiliation with the council. " He explained, passing kuroko and standing a meter from Mikoto.

"So, what do you say?"

"....Fine then." Mikoto said. Both her and Accelerator walked past kuroko.

"Hey," Kuroko reached out her hand. "I-" She was once again stopped from executing an action, this time rather than his voice it was his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry I'll make sure she comes back."

Accelerator took a step back to walk away but was stopped by Kuroko gripping his placed out hand. "You as well. I swear if you don't, I'll hunt down the dead or sick you and beat it to a bloody pulp." She warned, tightening her grip.

"After hearing something like that I will" Accelerator smirked and Kuroko nodded. When her grip loosen he turned back to follow Mikoto but met her 3 feet away looking at a spiky hair boy in her path.

"I'm coming with," Touma said, sternly.

"..I understand."

"Why let him go but not me, one-sama?!" Kuroko points at Kamijou, aggressive.

"It's not like what you think. There's this nun that lives with him."

"Unless That delinquent nun skipped school again that would mean you have to break in two different schools and you have to remember there's the problem with everyone's powers having a possibility of disappearing. That's beyond dangerous especially since it's drawing near to nighttime."

"Well, I did say it was a suicide mission."

"Onee-sama!"

"I was joking, relax, relax." Mikoto dismissed, waving her hand and grinning at Kuroko.

"You don't have to worry Shirai, she's at my apartment."

"I told you to always address me as Shirai-san, ape! And what the hell?! Why a girl at your apartment instead of school?! Better yet why is she living with you! This is why I want you to stay away from my Onee-sama!"

"E-eeh," Touma flinched and backed up defensively. "Misaka help me out here."

"Apart from the last sentence, I do agree with her."

"Why side with her! Accel-"

"Has nothing to do with me." Accelerator responded disinterestedly.

"Come on man!"

"I don't know whether to classify you as a good sister or a bad one?" Misaki asked, overhearing their conversation.

"Nehehehe, haven't you been doing the same thing?"

"For selfish reasons. I don't know the story but I get the gist of the situation and I'm taking advantage of it." Misaki clarified, watching Mikoto and the others descend the mountain.

After 47 minutes of walking and hiding through district 7, they were near the boy's dormitory. Currently, they were in an alleyway, surveying the streets and exterior of the dorm before going in.

"What you say, Elevator or stairs?" Touma asked, peeking his head out.

"I say emergency stairs. It's best to be cautious." Mikoto suggested bedside him.

"Alright then, let's go."

The three of them sprinted to the fire exit door and climbed the stairs. They were heading for the seventh floor to Kamijou's apartment but the quiet atmosphere felt too awkward for him so he decided to start up a conversation.

"I still can't believe it. Everything was so normal this morning." Touma said walking in front.

"Well, it was only a matter of time before someone would have attacked Academy City, and it just so happened to be today. Probably some country fired off a couple of thousand drones to spread that mysterious red substance." Mikoto said behind him.

"What I don't get is how the vapor got in? The school is an existing shelter who's mechanics are a bit model from an underground shelter. In case of emergencies we should have run on separate oxygen supply." Touma sighed.

"And it did work, only a small amount got through. Remember, less than half of the school turned. The vapor must have formed and got inside before the school enacts safety precautions. The economics room, woodwork, and even the bathroom are just some possible entryways." Accelerator told him.

"Knowing that the damage was limited doesn't make me feel any better." Kamijou lamented.

"All we can hope for is that the people close to us haven't turned." Mikoto soothed.

"That's kinda difficult since we don't know why some of us don't turn and some do. Though it was a little that entered some of the sick I've seen don't have such classes and they hadn't left class within the time frame. You guys have any guesses." Touma stopped at the door and looked back.

"As of now a lot but none could be solidified unless experimented," Mikoto answered honestly.

'Please be ok, Index.' He thought as he slowly opened the door partway.

Once he saw the floor empty they walked to his apartment door and opened it.

"Index?" Touma whispered walking deeper in.

He searched everywhere, the bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom, every possible nook and cranny she could have hidden but still could not find her.

"Hey," Mikoto called out.

She walked to the kneeling boy but stopped when it looked like he remembered something and ran outside leaving the name Maika behind. When next they saw Touma he was at an apartment next door.

"Umm, what are you doing?" Mikoto asked, watching Touma rummaging through his right pocket.

"If Index isn't in my apartment then she's over here. This is Tsuchimikado's room and his sister should be here." Touma said changing pockets.

"Why would she be, not only is this not her apartment but she should be in school?"

"She's sick and Tsuchimikado wanted her to stay here so he could take care of her."

Along with his hand, two green electronic cards came out. Once he found which belonged to this room he put away the other one and placed the appropriate one to the door scanner.

"After a lot of me complaining about him having a card to my apartment without my permission, he gave me a duplicate of his," Touma said casually, and when he heard the beeping sound he punched in the passcode.

Two clicks of the locks moving later he opened the door with a "There" and when he did he was tackled into the opposite wall by a blue-black hair girl in a maid outfit.

The hair that was swept back by a white bonnet barely reached her small shoulders and those once blue eyes were as dark as charcoal.

That drool covered, white teeth mouth relentlessly tried to taste the sweetmeat that was Kamijou Touma and those nicely kept unpolished fingernails acted as a crane claw to help deliver it there.

The only guard he had to protect him from becoming her chew toy was his hand pushing away her face and the arm at her throat.

In less than two seconds Mikoto pushed her off of Touma with a powerful sole kick. After rolling three feet away she gained her footing and charged forward but before she could reach Accelerator wrapped his blazer around her face, threw her to the ground, and pinned her down, using his knee as a weight.

The amount of pressure to apply to someone like her was very little so he was very confident he could hold her off as long as needed.

"I got her," Touma responded with a nod and went inside with Mikoto.

Apart from its contents and their arrangement the infrastructure of Tsuchimikado's house was similar to his. First, he called out to Index, and when he heard nothing he walked to the bedroom. And it was there he found that silver hair nun sleeping on the bed.

"I-Index?"

Touma slowed his pace to snail as he approached her with an outstretched hand. It took him one simple nudge to wake her.

"Mmm." Index murmured, opening her eyes. "... Ah...Touma, what are you doing here?" She yawned and rubbed her sleepy eyes as she got up.

"What do you mean? Did you really sleep through everything."

"Hmm?"

"Really, Index." Touma scratched his head and sighed. "What was the last thing you remember?"

"I was helping Maika clean and cook. We spent some time talking and watching television but I felt tired halfway through so she said I could rest in her brother's room. What's going on?"

"You are an unbelievable girl," Mikoto commented.

"I'll explain everything briefly."

He did as he said and they went outside to meet up with Accelerator.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Raa. Raaa. Raaa." Maika roared leaning against the wall.

Accelerator was no longer pinning her down, instead, he tied her up with his socks and left her face cover.

"Help me with her." He said boredly, getting up and pointing at her.

Both Touma and Mikoto chipped in, to remove the restraints and lock her in the bedroom.

"From now on things are going to get difficult. We need weapons if we're going to proceed." Accelerator said completing his wear.

"I have some things we could use." Touma raised his hand.

All four of them went to his apartment for the weapons he spoke of. To Mikoto, he gave a wooden laundry paddle, Accelerator a broomstick, and him, a sock filled with two whole bottles of butter.

"A butter sock." Mikoto mocked.

"What? Sam Puckett showed how dangerous this bad boy is."

The next location for them was district 13 but to get there they have to finish crossing district 15. The original object of this journey was to first go there to pick up Mikoto's smallest sister Nio(Last Order) then make it to the bunker but turned into a three-part mission on the addition of Kamijou's objective.

"So, what's your opinion of everything?" Touma asked Index. The two were a few feet behind Mikoto and Accelerator.

"There are some religious interpretations of a red sky but from everything you've told me now and back in the apartment, as well as the fact that your right-hand doesn't work. Those are useless."

"Not even you can draw anything from this, huh."

"I never said I can't draw anything. I just said there isn't any point in telling you." Index snapped.

"My bad, Index-san." Touma nervously laughed.

After a short pause of looking around, he hurried to Mikoto and Accelerator.

"Hey, you guys."

"Yea. We know." Mikoto stated.

"What?" Index asked.

" You don't know this but we're in the largest shopping center of Academy City."

"Oh, I see. Despite that, the lack of sick is unnerving." Index looked around.

Academy City is home to 2.3 million and even though they were walking through a major meet and greet area the streets were silent. It was so quiet that the air felt cold and sent a chill up Touma's spine.

"Yeah. Where could they all be gone?" Touma said, becoming more tense. 

As they walked down a straight street they began to smell something very familiar which stops them dead in their tracks. Each of their faces was morphed complexly but it all displayed the same thing.

It was an absurdly strong scent of iron.

None of them could see anything to get them like this but they knew passing that alleyway on the left would be the death of them. Slowly they backed away and after ten steps they turned around and speed-walked away a couple of meters but...

"AAAARRRKKKKKKKK!!!!!!"

Emerging from that corner was a secluded sick. Its body was in a suit of blood, flesh, and organs. It was already too late. The sound attracted all the sick in the area. Those in that same corner, other corners and streets crept from them with sticky movements.

'Were they all feasting?!' Kamijou thought as he and the others dash back down the street.

Out of the woodwork, they came, surrounding the four from both sides in a pincer attack, blood, and flesh interwoven in their teeth. The thick mass wall of the sick all came thrashing in like a tidal wave, roaring and toppling over those in front who couldn't keep up the charge.

With no way to escape Touma and the others gritted their teeth and firmly gripped their weapons, backing up against each other in preparation for one final stand before they got hit by the separated tidal waves and ripped apart.

The only one who didn't accept such fate was Accelerator, who knelt on one knee and touched the floor. Grasping the rotational energy from the earth and converting it into something.

Like a cyclone formation, the wind got whipped up in a spiral motion and within a few seconds, all four of them shot up to the closest building rooftop.

Parabolic antennas, satellite dishes, compact AHU, air conditioning, and ventilation systems span one corner and are sprinkled a little in the middle of the roof. 

"Damn It!" Touma bellowed.

"At least we made it. Hurdle up together we're flying the rest of the way." Accelerator said walking to the left edge and staring off into the distance.

"No." Touma protest.

"Don't be stupid-"

"Shut up!" 

"...I don't get why me using my powers to save us is so aggravating." Accelerator addressed him.

"I said shut up. People like you won't be able to survive in this new world if that's your mindset. All you high-level espers are too dependent on the stupid powers that you lack basic street smarts. Just shut and let me think, I'll find a way for us to escape."

"What, have you been paying attention? Those wont go once they locate a prey and we have a shit ton of them down there eager to take a bite out of us."

Touma ignored him, walked around the rooftop, and looked at his surroundings outside the building.

Once it looked like he discovered something he went to Mikoto, asked her for her paddle, destroying a satellite dish, and retrieved its feed horn to be thrown in an alley of the opposite building. When they followed it he went to Index for a pin and picked the door leading into the building.

"But still you're not a delinquent," Mikoto said dryly. 

"I'm not, I promise." Touma turned to Index. "You believe me right, index?"

"Hard to with that display."

"What is this, gang up on Kamijou day."

"When is it not."

"I didn't need to hear that." When he heard a clicking sound he gave back the pin to Index. "Everything is together."

"Care to explain your plan?" Accelerator asked his hand on his hips.

"I'll show you level five, what it means to be weak."

**This didn't come out as I wanted too but that's mostly because I'm not feeling well, even so, I hope this catches on with you guys.** **Damn this must be edgy as fuck. Really hoping you at least felt nervous and unease for the characters**


	2. Sheepdog

**Hopefully I get better with tension and suspense and people like this because I have a lot in store for this story.**

"Huh?" Accelerator sounded. There was no better word, to sum up, his confusion but that. He only asked a simple question,' explain your plan', but this boy, for some reason, just brought up levels.

"The world of the weak is vastly different than that of the strong." Touma started. "In that world, your life is constantly at risk and you may end up dead in a blink of an eye at any moment." His voice stern and unwavering as he steps closer to Accelerator.

"No one knows when exactly your powers will go or if you'll ever get them back, but with the world's system now changed, a person who's fallen and gotten back up is far stronger than a person who has never fallen." He explained to him, staring down and surveying his thin physique.

"Oh, I get it," Accelerator huffed in realization. "you want a guilt-free conscience when we do die." He cocked his head and sneered.

"I'll see to it know no one dies, that's why I refuse to let you squander your abilities on something like this." Touma snarls.

"Naivety is something I've never had the pleasure of tasting." Accelerator retorts.

"I think that's enough now," Mikoto interjected and stepped in between the two nonchalant, giving them both a gesture of the hand to separate. "Ok tell us your big plan and stop leaving us in the dark." She took back her weapon.

"It's pretty straightforward but is split into parts. To give you an overview though, a group of us will enter inside the mall and travel to the floors holding furniture and kitchen utensils for some beds and knives. Once we have them, we'll bring them back here and carve hand grips in each. Since Mikoto and I are the fastest I suggest we travel back in and split off, one will cause a big enough commotion to lead the sick inside, the other will lock them in by shutting down the entire mall from the security room. All that would be left is getting back up and bursting into the adjacent building with the aid of the beds. From there it's just escaping that and we're on our way."

"That's an...wow... I mean really." Mikoto tried to find her words. The plan was good, obviously not full proof and had holes in it but good nonetheless. Especially for one just thought up on the spot from small interactions.

"And what will we do about survivors?" Accelerator asked, folding his arms.

"Depending on the amount, we retrieve the required number of beds," Touma replied back in the same calm tone of voice.

For a few seconds, the roof was silent. Nothing but the carols of the wind whistling about being heard at that altitude.

"Alright man with a plan, give us the full detail run down." Accelerator sighed and scratched his head.

"Thank goodness." Index sighed in relief and smiled, no longer ready to intervene since the situation had not turned for the worst. This was no time to fight among themselves, but she still wanted them to resolve this on their own as it would be more effective than her jumping in.

Few minutes past where Touma gave the full fine details of his plan to everyone but...

"I refuse."

It was also decided there that Index would be staying on the rooftop while the others headed inside.

"C'mon, Index."

"I said no." She turned around and folded her arms.

Why are you fighting me on this?' Is what Touma would like to say. But already, he knew the answer. How many times now had he run into this same predicament? She made it nough clear she hates it when he does this each time he ends up at the hospital.

But, he thought this time she would understand because whenever he did visit the hospital, her attacks would become less and less, to the point she would just sigh and lecture him.

He wanted to step closer but his feet wouldn't let him. They didn't dare take a step, afraid of what might happen after hearing that unusually thick voice.

"I'll give you my portion of food when we get to the bunker." He tried negotiating.

"What makes you think that would make me feel better!" She shot at him, anger clearly expressed on her face.

Obviously, she didn't accept a situation like this. Who would for that matter? To put all the responsibility on others in this death-defying circumstance while she stays carefree. That's not something that would sit well with her.

It never has, and it will never be.

What if they get hurt. What if someone dies. Or worst.. what if it is...

Fear.

Anger.

Worry.

Emotions like those washed over Index. It didn't matter if this didn't sit well with a certain spiky hair boy. She won't comply. No matter how it makes her look or how selfish of an act it is.

Even if that wasn't all it came down to, she would still refuse.

She just can't...the loss would be too great.

"We'll be there you know." Accelerator broke her out of her thoughts.

"I thought that was a given. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything crazier than his plan." Mikoto said, putting the paddle on her right shoulder.

Index turned back around, back facing everyone as she stood there in momentary silence.

"I'll hold you both to that." Index said quietly, crossing back her arms. "You better come back, Touma, hehmm." She turned her head slightly and Touma nodded.

They passed through the door and entered the cream painted staircase with silver handrails.

Peeping beyond the railing not even with the bright 8-foot LED tube lights on the distance down could be clearly seen. Nor did it rid the space of its gloomy atmosphere.

The door creaked as it closed behind them and the clicking of the bolt inserting echoed throughout like a cave, seeping into the staircase the feeling of isolation.

"Alright then."

Touma led the way and they descended the flights of stairs.

The mall is divided into six levels and sectors off into generic main areas. At the entrance level, there existed a plethora of Standalone department stores and entertainment areas. By way of the escalator, the level below the entrance consisted of many brand name technological shops. Above the basement and the second level, the third level only contained independent and contracted culinary stalls while the fourth was only concerned with home furnishings and electrical appliances. Things such as clothing, school stuff, and jewelry were dealt with on the fifth level and the one they were heading for was the sixth, which comprises the employee's lockers, management offices, bosses offices, individual large scale break rooms, and the security room.

They were now standing on the landing platform connected there and positioned on the left side of the door, Mikoto slowly opened it. Meanwhile to her right, Touma stood ahead of her, ready to defend against any sick that may come rushing out and Accelerator behind her for those who might get pass.

Once Touma verified they were clear, Mikoto fully moved the door and they entered inside the black matted and white wall corridor.

It was funny how most of the mundane things in life could make a person feel unsettled.

Similar to the emergency staircase the floor was empty and gloomy despite the lights working fine. Within that confined space, constant murmurs of groans hissed out like cats whining late at night and accompanying it was the repeated grating of fingernails against doors.

"Ok, let's split up and search," Mikoto whispered and left her separate way. Visiting a couple of doors cautiously, she looked for the room with the signboard security on it. When she finally found it, after 3 minutes of hunting, she ran back and told the others.

A single knock on the door made them aware no one was inside, the only sounds of snarling coming from the other guess.

"Shit." Touma cursed. "With my luck, I should have had less expectations. Of course, they would use a magnetic lock for the security room." He bowed his head and sighed. The door in front of him was wooden with a dark oil polish wrapped in an 8-inch stainless steel kick plate. At the knob area, the lever handle was covered in a blue nano septic sleeve and had a key card access system for its lock.

Hence why they didn't even try to pick it.

"Well, that's not much of a problem. Either we hunt for a key card or just mess with the electrical panel. " Mikoto stated. "I rather the latter though, less time-consuming."

One of the major disadvantages of having an electromagnetic lock was that it could be easily de-energized in the event of a power outage. To combat these outage issues, however, Academy city had many different forms of energy production methods. All powering the entire cities infrastructure at the same time but from different lines.

Thus why Mikoto suggested messing with the electrical panel instead. All she needed to do was find it and manually turn on the breaker system that powers this level only.

"This place is probably built with two separate ones since the lower levels need a lot more power than the upper levels. And there is no sign of a panel here...If I were to venture a guess it's probably at the food court." She informed.

"Well, that does fall into Academy City memo, defying expectations." Touma shook his head with a grin.

"Over the top is more like it, there's nothing wrong with a hallway, you know." Mikoto corrected with a dorky grin.

Their attention was then drawn to Accelerator, with the sound of the emergence staircase door opening and his footsteps dampening. Following right behind, Mikoto and Touma descended the stairs to the food court where they saw a horrendous scene.

The separation of floors in the court didn't matter because the scene was all the same. A gorefest through and through would be the immediate thought process.

In that massively large space where high-class restaurants, coffee shops, and food stalls spread every area like a web, intricately creating a path to lead to them. Dead bodies laid scatter. It was like the aftermath of a countrywide carnival meeting, a summer break party. The trash and other stuff representing both bodies and litter alike.

The uniformly placed seating jumbled and toppled over as they sprawled a couple of feet away from their initial position with uneaten foods, rappers, and not yet open drinks.

As if a toddler moped it, the ground was smeared with pints upon pints of semi-dried blood and in addition to that, trails, pools, and prints of blood also smudged tables, countertops, chairs, almost every surface in reach.

The smell itself was the most unbearably from the scene, the bodies of those resting in odd angles permeating the air like a three-day open fishery.

Comparatively, the scene was a muck but using the analogy of slicing and squashing, rotten tomatoes couldn't cover the steaming hot pile of many deaths there.

One of them in particular was a man lying sideways near a dinner stool. One of the wounds around him, his outstretched arm, had its flesh ripped into from three different areas and skin along with some flesh amateurishly pulled up like a tight sock. The palm of his hand tore into, appearing like a severely under-baked spongy velvet cake and putting on display the inner workings for his fingers to function.

Another one described with just two words, anatomical model. For the most part, his stomach was clawed open and whatever internal organ was possible to remove got scooped out onto his chest and eaten into. Blood soaked the top part of his red and white shirt but even so bite marks could still be seen at his chest and neck areas.

The dead silence ran cold as the three of them took in the repugnant sight.

"Just like at school." Touma clenched his fist tightly. The same image of the nightmarish event flashing through his head. " Can we even say it was a small amount? This much damage was done."

"Possibly, there is more than one factor that could lead to this much death. Being ill equipped is one. Though the same could be said about us, we had powers to protect ourselves." Mikoto answered. Her voice was high enough to reach him but low enough to not alert any sick as she searched for the electrical panel.

"Also the interactions we've had with them showed that simply beating them won't stop their advances. They always get back up and that makes them even more difficult." Accelerator added, also doing the same.

"You think they're feasting on someone right now, just like when we got spotted?"

The question wasn't aimed at any one person but despite that and not being able to be seen, Mikoto diverted her face. She was thankful that they haven't run into any sick as of yet but the thought of someone possibly dying to make that happen made her feel uncomfortable.

"Let's just focus on our objective and not get sidetracked." Accelerator walked away. "We haven't found the panel anywhere down here yet."

"Probably in the janitor room then."

After nodding at the suggestion, Touma and Accelerator followed Mikoto deeper into the food court. The number of food vendors here was truly ridiculous, everywhere you look, from beyond the outdoor seating areas, ranging from Burger joints, Sushi restaurants, Taco stands, Pizzeria, and patty stores.

Mikoto ignored all those and headed for a room further back. Stockpiled in it, the janitors of Academy City. The task with cleaning up Academy City grounds and in this case the mall.

The door halfway open, she suddenly gets attacked with a knife. Mikoto defended against it, however, instinctively blocking with her free hand and clubbing the attacker in the stomach before their hidden punch could connect to her solar plexus.

CLATTER.

The knife dropped and by the time the attacker fell to their knees, with a muffled thud, Mikoto pointed the paddle to their face and threatened them.

"Don't move."

"That's a Nami high uniform." Touma looked at the toppled over attacker.

He was a teenage boy who had the mild appearance of a generic high school delinquent. His eyes a deep brown and blond hair unruly as he wore an unbuttoned all grey school uniform with a black tie. Around his left hip was a silver punk rock chain and peeking through his right sleeve, a woven maroon and black leather bracelet with guitar jewelry.

"Seems so." She answered, not relaxing even though they were unarmed.

"You can take my spot okay, just let me go." The panic-stricken boy pleaded quickly. His winced face overcame as concern swiftly took hold.

"W-wait, nonononono," Touma waved dismissively. "you have the wrong idea."

"Huh?"

"Look, sorry for what happened, ok," He scratched his head. "but I can assure you, we came to help."

"I'm not apologizing to him just so you know."

"Misaka."

"Ain't going to happen, self-defense."

"Couldn't you have worded it like that?"

"I still got my point across, didn't I."

Touma sighed hearing that.

"N-no it's ok, that was my fault entirely." The boy slowly stood up, and Mikoto's paddle followed. "What exactly did you mean by 'came to help'?"

"We have a plan to escape the mall."

"Really? That kinda sounds too good to be true."

"Weren't you cowering in that room?" Accelerator reminded him. He lowered his head in response.

"You want to escape with us?" Hearing that, the boy swiftly peered at Touma. He didn't believe it. Just a few moments ago he attacked their partner and had every intention of killing them if it meant he could continue on. But here stood a boy who was willing to overlook that and help him.

He darted his gaze to the other two members before gulping down saliva. With his wrinkled lips, he said his reply.

"Y-yea"

"So, what's your name?"

"Hamazura." He simply answered, not willing to give his full name even though Mikoto put away her weapon.

"Well Hamazura, I'm Touma, this is Misaka and that's Accelerator."

"H-hi there." He greeted with a nervous smile but received silence as a response from Accelerator and a light head shrug from Mikoto.

"Do you know where I can find other people?" Touma asked him and Hamazura pondered for a few seconds before answering.

"The last I've seen a crowd of people, they headed for the department stores on the third floor. I can't tell you which though."

"That's more than enough, Thanks Hamazura." Touma smiled and patted his shoulders.

"Great, can we get back to the mission at hand now?" Mikoto asked sarcastically. She then gestured for Hamazura to leave the door frame and enter inside. There, after a few seconds of searching, she found the electrical panel and went to it.

The circuit breaker was a silver-gray metal box, about the size of a cookie sheet, which recessed into the wall.

Its lock, a simple key mechanism.

"You're up." She called out to Touma and he took the hairpin she handed him to pick the lock.

When it opened, the small door moved with little to no noise and revealed rows of black switches labeled with tape. Those were the breakers, each for an individual circuit in the upper floors.

"Ok then, time to go up." Touma nodded to Mikoto and she nodded back.

"You guys stay down here and let me and him go to the security room." Accelerator told them. "With the information, he's given us it's best if we split up to carry out phase one of your plan." He elaborates and walks past the door frame.

"Well that does make sense but there is safety in numbers." Touma stopped him.

"Before we were uneven but now it's even. You want to do this quickly and effectively, right? Then let's split up."

Phase one of Touma's plan required they check the security cameras for survivors and retrieve them and the number of beds needed. Except with the intervention of Hamazura, there was no longer a need for them to move as a singular unit. With him there, they could move twice as fast.

"He has a point, let's split up." Mikoto agreed, not wanting to put this up to a debate with the reluctant boy.

"...Alright then," Touma sighed. "give me all your numbers so we could message each other." He said, taking out his phone and punching in everyone's contact number.

As Accelerator began to turn the corner after leaving the room, Hamazura knelt down for the knife at the door frame.

"Leave that," Touma said bluntly and stared him down intently. His expression, no different than the one before but the atmosphere completely.

"...."

Feeling it, knowing it would be a bad idea to cause a commotion now, Hamazura slowly crept up and followed Accelerator but not before glancing at Touma one more time.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Accelerator exited the Foodcourt with Hamazura and ascended the emergency stairs. The sound of their footsteps traveling the empty space.

"...The damage to your guy's school must have been really extensive if you had to depart from it." Hamazura starts up a conversation to break the heavy reign of silence.

"No, the majority of us made it out alive."

"Huh...So why split up then? wouldn't it be safer, you know, sticking together and finding a good place to bunker down?"

"Is the answer to that question the reason why you hesitated to tell us the survivor's location?" Accelerator said with no change in tone. His somewhat cold eye's gave the impression his discovery was not of importance.

He lacked any form of reaction actually and just continued to amble up the stairs, whereas Hamazura, inched, tensed and nervous, cold sweat running down his cheek.

Hamazura played with the saliva in his mouth for a bit before he swallowed and just continued trailing behind Accelerator.

Accelerator entered inside the six floors and walked down the corridor to the security door. Hamazura frantically follows behind with a wobbly 'Hey', becoming worried about the growling sick.

"I didn't know your reason for it but I ventured a couple of guesses based on experience. All I knew was that you had that guy begged for the hero type. If you told him about the survivors he would be wasting precious time on them while the person(s) you care about is at risk."

"...."

"You don't have to worry. I get it." Accelerator ended things there, grabbing the handle with his left hand and operating his phone with his right. A few seconds after which, the lights on the floor went out and he opened the door.

Immediately afterward the lights turned back on and the simultaneous flashes of several monitors lit up the room inside.

Leaving the unsettling sound of the sick become more prominent behind, Accelerator and Hamazura entered inside. The room was large but felt cramped because of the many contents that existed inside. Assisting the many monitors were several other big and small electrical devices, and on top of the metal countertop, a black flexible Speech microphone.

Accelerator traveled to the screens and searched the feed for anyone present on the second level. Spotting civilians in 12 stores, he messaged in the group chat their names.

"Time for our part now." He talked to himself and operated the control panel to search the other levels. Among them, he found groups of people scattered all over the mall. The most crowded, the level below the entrance.

Tampering with the control panel some more, he isolated the speaker to areas that were safe for both sides and brought the microphone to his lips.

With a single click, he switched it on.

"Yo. I have something to say and I expect you all to listen. In a couple of minutes, depending on how this pan out, the entire mall will be even more infested with sick. There's a reason for that and it's for a plan to escape. We will make sure Anti-Skill finds you, all that is needed is to bunker down until then but if you want to tag along, simply indicate with your hands. You have till the count of five to do so."

"5. 4. 3. 2. 1." Accelerator slowly counted, glancing at the monitors once more to see the results. 'Only four, huh.'

"You'll know when I'll come. Miss the signal and that's that's."

He switched off the microphone, and not saying anything else, walked out the room with it.

As foolish as this may sound, the unspoken consensus between Touma, Mikoto and Accelerator was not to spare time in giving directions to avoid sick. A text message would take time and since neither of them had headphones or earbuds to deliver in the present contact they thought it best to refrain from such completely.

'Even without their powers those people sure know how to make your skin crawl.' Hamazura thought, positioned to the back and watching everything unfold with a stronger wave of fear engulfing him.

He was planning on doing the same thing to them but this was where the saying 'saying is easier than doing' could be taken in the literal sense.

In his case not saying or omitting information.

What that boy spoke was the truth and Hamazura was sure the other two would do the same. But the thing is, it would come down to how it is worded and the tone that it's received as.

Even the most normal of phrases can be turned into something terrifying, and that is exactly what Accelerator did.

This added to his mind view of the boy, giving a more distinctive shape to his interpretation.

Hamazura wasn't an acquaintance of this boy, clearly, he had just met him, but stories of the albino ran wide in this city of espers.

It was the reason why he was so uneasy around him and that girl. Those two were monsters beyond any other, capable of taking on and defeating an entire nation. The 3rd and 1st rank Level 5's of Academy City.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Mikoto pushed the lever all the way to the “off” position, then back to the “on” position before giving a glance at Touma.

"Let's move." She said and they left the room.

"There goes my mall experience." Touma sighed.

"Eh, these things are pretty overrated if you ask me."

"You're only saying that because you've had the luxury of spending leisure time here."

"And you haven't?"

"Noo."

"So Tschimikado and Aogami never took you here?"

"If they did it would probably be to use me for some scheme or something."

"And those guys are your friends."

"Haaa, I know but they aren't that bad." He elongated the last part and said it in a somewhat high pitch voice. "Besides, I kinda don't have time for that stuff, even though I wish I had."

"I knew you were a busy guy but, wow." Mikoto said between a giggle.

"Ha ha ha" Touma laughed dreary, and Mikoto held in a snort. "Laughing at a poor boys' pain is Sacrilege Misaka."

"Well stop making it so." She desperately tried to hold the laughter.

"You have a weird sense of humor."

"So too a couple million people."

"What?"

Ending the conversation there, both their phones vibrated from a message. Looking at it, they saw a text was sent in the group chat by Accelerator with the store's names.

"Mmm." They both nod.

With the locations now mapped out, Mikoto and Touma made their way through the food court and down the stairwell where they reached the second floor and looked about the lobby.

Ordinary 'looked about the lobby' would mean standing in an open view of it but in this case, it meant peeping through a half cracked open door.

The quantity of people turned sick must have been small.

A number of 20 something of the sick could be seen unenthusiastically walking around in random directions on the marbled floor splattered with entrails.

The numbers were low, strengthening what Accelerator said back in the apartment, but was still too dangerous to venture out if not treated with caution.

This was why they decided to study the sicks movement.

They might not be moving in arithmetic patterns but understanding their timing can make the difference of life and death.

Seeing the perfect opportunity, Touma and Mikoto carefully rushed to the snack vending machine in a lowered position and hid between it and the cluster of indoor palm trees there.

The entire level subdivides into fourteen floors, accessible only via walkways and elevators. Half for the department stores sector and the other half for entertainment sectors. Smack down in the center of the first half which had an atrium view, spanned a gigantic cylindrical aquarium tank nearly reaching the massively built in skylight ceiling with an artificially generated view.

Just like in the food court, bodies were propped about. Some in odd angles, others with man made injuries. Nevertheless, they were given the same treatment.

Gouged out alive. Well that's from what they've seen so far and what the mess of blood indicates.

One dead body specifically had their flesh eaten a quarter of the way and sprawled over the circular entrance of a glass railing leading to the first level.

Could all this be the reason why they didn't hammer the shops in groves?

"..."

"RRGGRRAA"

"..."

"RGRRRGR"

Seething with anxiety their hands become clammy and pulse quicken, ducking in wait for the perfect moment to move for the escalator ahead on the left.

Licking their lips even with their mouths dry, they legged it upwards not using the escalators assistance to get there and pressed their backs against the glass railing at the get off point, hidden from the view of sick coming from the right by a row of three silver trash bins.

As they stooped there, trying to control their breeding, Mikoto spotted a sick coming from their blind spot.

".!.!.!"

The layout of the atrium skyway system was fixed as a box and from the corner of her eye Mikoto saw them coming from the side, twenty-eight meters away from turning the corner.

Motioning to Touma, she pointed him to the direction.

'Shit!' He cursed upon seeing it.

Not good. This is so not good. The both of them rambled in their minds. They were in no position to move and turning back around carelessly now would only expose them.

The sick was closing in on them.

THINK THINK THINK

Touma racked his brain. They needed to come up with a plan now or else it's into crawfish scraps for them.

Within deep thought, tightly clenching his butter sock, he then found one. A second later, he fumbled to open his butter sock due to the tight knot.

'Ugh, really!' He cried out on his third try, cursing his rotten luck to the back of his mind.

"..."

Mikoto saw this and gestured for the sock which on her first try, she successfully undid the knot.

'Really'

Touma muttered in his head, reaching his hand into the sock for a clump of butter. Bedding it up into a bottle cap size, he threw it over head.

CLANG

It collided with the cylindrical aquarium tank at a parabola.

'FAST' Was the best word to describe what happened next.

Hearing it hit something, and darting their eyes, the sick whose movements were like walking in mud turned into a streak and bolted towards the noise.

The sound must have really been a dull one because only those on the same floor with Touma and Misaka, first level opening, and the ground floor went towards it.

Touma and Mikoto then Strode along the first floor towards Neilson's Ink store where they took advantage of its window blinds. One of the problems of window blinds that home retailers don't bring notice of is light gaps. Something which stores in malls don't concern themselves with as they don't inhibit business.

Taking advantage of that problem, Touma shone his phone lights at the blinds to aware the people inside of them.

This opened two likely scenarios which concerned the people inside. So, left with the choice of letting them in and guarantee their safety or leaving them out there where they could bring the sicks attention to the store, the people inside opted for the former option.

The store had 5 occupants, not including them, and one of them, with black hair and a receding hairline, briskly walked forward.

"The hell is wrong with you two." The middle aged man whispered frustrated. His body more bulk than fat as it perfectly fits into his green suit with blue tie, giving him a not too wide figure.

"Please sir, take it easy. They're only kids." The other occupant, with swept to the left brown hair, eased him away despite her meek figure. She dressed in her work clothes, a blue skirt with a half blue and half white shirt.

"Take it easy fatso, the kids just wanted safety." A slim man with Sharp facial features said, before seating in a corner, hand resting on his bent knee. He appeared to be in his early twenties and dressed in a button up black shirt with its sleeves rolled up and black khaki pants, he smirked cockily at the man.

"That isn't the problem. They could have gotten themselves and us killed."

"Is that what really concerns you?"

"You know I'm getting tired of your bullshit."

"Hah, me too." He laughed, swaying his soft coolly black hair as he did so.

"Alright you two, shut up. You're bickering has now reached its end point." A slender and elegant black hair woman berates, dressed in a gray cotton shirt and knee length maroon skirt.

She was seated against the cream colored wall, under four glass shelves and had a fair skin woman laying on her lap. Unlike her, she was dressed classy, back length done up blond hair dressed in a strapless green blouse with matching earrings and a jean skirt.

"We didn't come here to cause any trouble nor did we come here to seek shelter." Mikoto abolished and Touma stepped forward.

"Then why are you two here?" The slim man asked and the other occupants, except for the two women, looked at them.

"We have a plan to escape from the mall...but it means doing something..." Touma looked at them with resolve." and we want to help anyone who is willing."

"What exactly is that 'something'?" The clerk asked timidly.

"Why are we even hearing them out, all they'll do is put many lives at risk." The middle age man shrugs.

" Trapping everyone in here momentarily with the sick." Mikoto ignored what the man said and answered bluntly.

'What' and 'What did you say' might as well be what the occupants yelled out, as their gazes shift to one of confusion.

"Children or not, I will hurt you both." The gray shirt woman spat from her position, not willing to move since it might wake up the person sleeping.

"You see what I mean." The receding hairline man points.

"You gotta give us more context kids." The wavy hair man smiled nervously.

"It's exactly as she says. In order for us to escape we are planning to trap the sick surrounding the mall in here."

"Why would you do that? There's enough in here that moving around means potential death." The meek clerk stressed the last part.

"If you can escape, do it without adding oil to the fire." The middle aged man sat against the counter.

"As much as I hate saying it, he's right. Just wait on Anti-Skill." The slim man leans back. "Your plan would only gain more attention and that's considering if it works. Even if it did, all them out there won't be able to get inside." He continued, shifting his head to them.

"The plan doesn't rely solely on getting inside. It is more about sticking their attention on something while we sneak past."

"Still too risky." He sighed.

"Are you all really ok with this? Being stuck inside, helpless to comfort the people who are most important to you. Hoping they are fine and awaiting rescue just like you, rather than doing it yourself."

"The person who I should be taking care of is right here resting on my lap. And, as you so graciously put it, she is of high importance to me. Putting her in a fool's errands will only engender her."

Silence took a hold of the room for what felt like hours but was actually 10 seconds.

"...Fine, I'll indulge you kids." The slim man declared in between a smile.

"Really?" The clerk asked

"You can't be serious." The middle aged man laughed soundlessly.

"There's someone I must look after." The man got up and spoke, not to those two, but Touma and Mikoto.

"Thank you."

"Ohh, I wouldn't be thanking me. I'll only go if you help me find said person." The man shook Touma's hand. A situation like this wasn't one that demanded a noose around the boys neck, but from everything the slim man has seen from these two he knows this boy would help him out if threatened like this.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Those two boys' objectives were laid out. Retrieve the four civilians on the first level and make it back to the roof to rendezvous with the others.

But instead of instantly heading straight there, Accelerator and Hamazura made their way to the fourth level with furnishes and electrical appliances.

Hamazura didn't know why that was but he just followed Accelerators lead.

Before we proceed any further we need to ramp up our odds of succeeding, That was what Accelerator said after using the microphone as a stopper for the door.

Entering past the stairwell door they were now there.

The only difference this scene presents was the less sight of crimson. But make no mistake, bodies were still found there, making this no different than any other area inside the mall.

On the other hand, despite his skin crawling from the desolation of humans, Hamazura mimed a sigh of relief.

Seems this is the one and the only instance he could be thankful for Mondays. If not for the civilian traffic around this time they would be royally screwed, with the number of sick being somewhere around 20-30 people where only 18 were spotted roaming about.

They ducked and navigated their way through the fourth floor on that level.

Going too deep in would be a risk to their lives but quick glances inside some stores showed the risk of death was higher, so they had no choice but to go further in.

Stores upon stores were passed in search of whatever Accelerator wanted, and as they did so, Hamazura felt like his very core was about to break.

That albino boy with his deep ruby eyes was surely a terrifying being but this had to do with something else.

Fear began to batter his mind in waves and cold sweat gathered around his hand as if being tangled up in a web of lies, the amount of time they almost got caught just kept on increasing and that was pressuring him.

The only sense of control he had was the ability to stop hyperventilating but even that was slowly slipping away from him the more he saw how uniquely different yet similar the bodies were mutilated.

"!"

He felt a sensation in his head.

He knew this couldn't be the sick because they would have turned him into frozen minced meat on sight, but not before howling to the others to join, so he did his best to swallow the squeal.

With his mind back to the cruel reality, knocked out of his self-destructive consciousness, he saw Accelerator had stopped.

Checking around a store corner, they peeked for any sick to which none were spotted roaming about at the entrance.

With a tap on his shoulder by Accelerator, they maneuvered their way through, hiding behind boxes, indoor plants, and stacks of furnishes, anything they could find when the need came.

The reason why they were here might not have been known to Hamazura but it was a very simple thing.

At first, what Accelerator seeks was clothing to use for hogtying the sick similar to when he apprehended Motoharu's little sister but when he gave it more thought the notion was kicked out of the window.

This eventually shifted his thoughts to safety guards where he then came up with an idea of preventing biting.

And it was for that reason why they were here. First came sneaking to a section holding duct tape then to one with magazines. From there, after retrieving the necessary equipment and a weapon for Hamazura, it was a slow and heart-wrenching book to the stairwell.

Now on their way down to the first level, Accelerator and Hamazura taped themselves up with six magazines at their, leg, arm, and shoulder regions.

There, at the opening in the ceiling that connects the second level to the first by escalator, light sounds of footsteps rippled out.

The floor was empty with the sick but signs of them still existed there.

Taking its roots from a firefighter building infrastructure, the first level was set up like the in house pole system, escalators leading to each floor below for seven more floors.

Therefore the escalator spanning from the ceiling to the first floor had two more escalators situated each other leading to the second floor below.

And for those two boys to reach their destination they took them down to the second and seventh floor. The elevator out of the equation for obvious reasons.

The seventh floor was their first pick up and the reason for that was quite straightforward.

Running into sick wasn't much of a problem as at most 8 were seen on one floor. But the positions of the stores posed a major problem. Due to the shop's orientations, they couldn't see any opening to sneak anyone out so their alternative was to just not do that.

Simply put, fight their way up to the first floor. It might be a nightmarish sight to behold but that was their only game plan.

"Now!!!!!"

And so it began.

Truly this was a horror-struck scene. Simple words like rampaging and thrashing could not describe it though. Those were too chaotic. Well no, chaos was definitely there but the coordination of movement is what blurred the line.

This must be why zombie flicks never include the sprinting infected.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It first started with a thunderous animalistic roar that shook the air.

That was all it took. Those sick who once walked around the place, slowly, looking at seemingly random things shifted into a parade of breakneck speed cannibalistic humans.

From the floor here, above and they were sure even those from the second level were on their way, the sick all came to feast on fresh meat.

They all came rushing in and by then those three who wanted to escape had slipped from under the store's metal shutters and gathered by their escorts.

One was a boy with freckles and afro like brown hair dressed in a blue school blazer. The others were adults. The tallest, a bony glasses-wearing man dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, who looked like your typical in the business for 2 years desk worker. The other fellow, brawny in built. Dressed in a blue shirt and lighter shade pants with his gray jacket tied around the waist.

With blood stained teeth, the first wave of sick to attack was the 7 on this floor and the 4 right above.

'Now or never.'

They only had a few seconds before the other floor sicks reached.

Hamazura twirled his weapon in one hand and drew it up, gripping it at the base like handling a bat.

When Accelerator told him about this plan, Hamazura knew what weapon he needed. There was no weapon back up there that he would call perfect for this specific situation. So his best choice was good, something blunt and sturdy. At the cream of the crop this fits that, a pedestal column part from a fan. A good enough weapon. True this is the city of science so things like tower fans are more accepted but those aren't practical weapons in this specific situation.

Gripping his weapon tightly, Hamazura swung nasty back swings at the closest sicks and sent them rolling along the cream tiled floor a few feet.

He twirls his weapon once more, losing his wrist in the process, and swung at another sick to his left. Then used that momentum to spin on his heel and kick a sick in his peripheral vision, body rolling away from those people behind him.

While he was busy doing that Accelerator was at the forefront, dealing with the stranglers, those who came forward and those Hamazura knocked away.

He was dealing with the brunt of this attack as he saw it necessary for their escape. In order to reach the second floor for the last person, they decided the elevators were the best choice.

If that is to happen they needed tactics which is what Accelerator used. Hamazura and the three civilians behind him, their backs facing the stores and moving to the elevator while he deals with the sick ahead.

He may not be a skilled fighter in any form of combat but against these single-minded things, Accelerator might as well be.

Their movements were too simple. Accelerator held the stick like a staff, drew the lower halfback, and then whipped it at the base of a sicks jaw. Evades the outstretched hands rushing him and hammers those it is attached too to the floor. Then dodged the tackles from behind with spins and snapped them forwards, in front of him.

And, as if on repeat, they started everything again. But this time those sick on the 5th and 4th floor have now reached.

Time was up and it was now the second wave. A mixture of both, making the count twenty-eight sick in total.

They were several meters away from the elevator.

A war cry wasn't sounded.

The instant those five were spotted the instinct to sink its teeth blasted neurons for motor functions.

The sensation of hits coursed their way throughout Hamazura and Accelerators bodies.

Hit after hit , opponent after opponent, again and again. Each time, every time, those sick were deflected, slammed, speared, knocked, tossed, kicked, and lashed.

JUST A METER TO GO!!!!

They fought for over 30 seconds, bitten a couple of times but nothing serious thanks to the magazines. Difficult as it is all that was left is entering the elevator and waiting for it to close.

Which isn't easy now the other floors were here.

1

.

.

2

.

.

3.

DING.

"......We..... m-m...ade.. it..wooo," Hamazura said in between his heavy panting.

"Haaa haaa haa"

"Haaa haaa haa"

"Haaa haaa haa"

"Haaa haaa haa"

"We're so sorry for putting everything on you boys." The man in the t-shirt apologized as none of the newcomers had fought the entire time, which was understood but he felt needles of guilt for his hopelessness and pushing it on them.

"Yeah, sorry about that, ahaha..." The brawny college boy laughed, rubbing the back of his head as he did so.

".. It's all good man," Hamazura replied flexibly.

"I was skeptical at first. But I promised myself if given a chance to escape, I would take it." The afro boy leisurely switched gaze from the shaft to his 'rescuers'. "Thanks for not making me regret that..."

"Enough. Get ready." Accelerator repositioned his weapon. "I doubt any sick would be up here after we lead them down there, but it's best to form back the formation just in case."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The same plan which was born from fright worked more than once.

It was thanks to that distraction idea why Touma and Misaka were here. The entire butter in one of the socks might have been used up in the process but thanks to that they finally made it to the final store and in the process recruited some more people along the way.

An addition of nine to be exact and those hiding here would round the total up to 12.

looking around, apart from the people they picked up, there were 3 occupants, 2 children, and a teacher.

"The kid isn't in any condition to move, ma'am. Staying here and waiting on Anti-Skill would be the safest decision." said one of the people Touma and Mikoto picked up. With his stubble beard, grey dress shirt, red tie, and black pants, he appeared like a washed-up journalist who got fired because he wouldn't give up on a risky story.

The woman in question dressed in a blue suit and had her purple back length hair down. She was leaning against a wall, holding a panting child who had the bones of their ankle punctured through the skin. It was somewhat memorizing how it almost looked like a fist-size eyeball staring in surprise.

"I'm not doing that."

"You guys haven't told us any detail about your plan but can they go through it?" Another one asked, her expression much to be desired as it was only monotonous. She was a clerk with short black hair, dressed in a blue vest and black skirt.

"We would need to alter it a bit but this is nothing difficult." Mikoto shook her head and glanced at Touma.

"Teach.."

"Stay here Sho, just in case..."

"Take them to the roof. I'm going to the fourth floor for a ladder." Touma turned to leave but...

"You'll need an extended ladder, the longest they got".

Mikoto halted him with her arm.

"I know that."

"Woah, Woah there kid," The slim man intervened. "she's trying to say even if it is compacted you would have a very hard time handling it."

"It's the only way."

"Yes, true, but what you want won't happen unless someone comes with you."

"Uncle." A concerned voice called out.

The woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties, ran towards him, hair glistening in the store lights like polished emerald and golden earrings dancing as they sway.

True to their word, that girl was found.

She couldn't be described by no other words than voluptuous with that slender yet elegant body and well-endowed chest being coated by her black knitted dress.

"It is going to be okay kiddo." He ruffled her hair. "I'll meet back up with you."

"That doesn't spring forth confidence you know." She pouts.

"I'm going to stay here." A security guard short in stature compared to everyone here but was the most control of all declared.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this situation... I know as a te-"

"There's no need. You want to help that kid right? Then you should get going. I'll look after him until Anti-Skill arrives."

"How about I carry him." A glasses man gestured.

He was dressed in a gray suit vest and a black undershirt with the same colour pants, hands outstretched, ready to receive the injured boy from the teacher when...

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The air shook and the area vibrated.

A bone-chilling scream peeled in the distance. And rumbling footsteps followed thereafter.

The others who came with words could be summed up as such: "The hell?" "They found someone."

"If we're going to move, now would be a great time." Mikoto peeked through the blinds.

They exited the store.

Desolate. Is what their minds jumped to when they surveyed the area.

Wasting no time, the group stormed down several escalators until the ground floor was reached and entered into the stairwell.

Both teams traveled up, Mikoto's group to the roof, Touma's to the fourth level.

A home improvement retailer shop.

That was their location, and it was on the second floor. Shops like those are little in this city but because its motto revolves around revolutionizing, such stores were constructed.

Sneaking their way there was easy enough but getting out unseen is another thing.

So upon entry to the HIR store those two retrieved the already retracted ladder from a shelf and moseyed through the aisles to the register.

There was nothing complicated about how they were going to get to the emergency stairs.

The slim man Touma came with didn't want to cause a big commotion to have every sick on this level come after them and so too did Touma.

What he had come up with was simple. He went at the register, tampered with it and he along with Touma hid in a gap in a large shelf near the entrance.

There, he rummaged through his pockets, pulled out his phone, and one of those credit card readers, attached it to the plug-in port on the phone, and swiped his blue credit card against it.

BEEP

After a low high pitch beep was heard.

"RRRREEEEEE"

Good.

Sick started rushing in, pushing through each other to fill the open space in search of what it was.

The instant an opening presented itself, they made a beeline out the store, knocking over appliances and sick in their quake after which they locked them inside.

From there it was a quick run to the emergency stairs before the sicks further back and on the upper floors break through the glass doors to each pack of stores in service of the screech.

AND

BUT

"!!!"

"!!!"

SCRASH

Glass broke.

It happens too quickly for them to register but the series of events was pretty straightforward.

Nearing the escalator, only seven meters away, the man had turned steeply to his left after breaking and passing through the glass double doors. Touma, who was behind him carrying the back end of the ladder, must not have fully adjusted himself in that split moment of a second yet because he slipped on the half-dried pool of blood there and crashed through the glass framing, subsequently dragging the man along with him.

THUD

They hit the metal framing of the escalator before landing on the first floor.

CLATTER

There was no time to wither in pain.

The heavy sound was heard and the sicks became even more Rumbustious as the devilish choir of screeching pounded eardrums.

They got up but...

"ahhh!" The man's voice hitched.

Touma glanced at him, breath caught on sight. The twisted portrayal of candy canes and those red plastic Christmas tree bulbs the reason for his uprooted expression.

There was so much blood reflecting the array of LED lights.

Touma couldn't see it but he was sure there was a large gash running along the arm.

'Shit, that much blood.' Touma grits his teeth.

He dragged the ladder with his right hand and wrapped the man's uninjured arm over his shoulder, picked him up, receiving sealed grunts as complaints, and wobbled his way forward.

Step upon step the grunts turned to deep nostril breathing.

Just a little bit more.

But

"RRRRRRRREEEEEEEE!" The sicks whaled.

They were already on the walkway and the two boys were only four feet away from the stairwell door.

"Leave me." The man whispered out in a drowsy voice, receiving a scornful look from the boy. But still, Touma did as he was told. He puts the man down, grabbed the ladder, and sped to the emergency door.

'Thank you, kid.' The man closed his eyes. He was fine with this. Content actually. One person was better off dying than several. The person he swore to protect was safe and had a chance to survive. That was all that mattered to him. How long would it take Anti-Skill to get here and what would happen in the moment of waiting. It was because of thoughts like these why he wanted her out of the mall.

That poor girl really had suffered enough. And her business offer from Academy City was supposed to be her second chance at normalcy.

Even without being raised by her mother at the tender age of five she always carried that bright personality, but those business people broke that. It was all their fault. Thanks to them she was no longer that bright and cheerful squirt. Thanks to them she became meek. Afraid and skeptical of forming new bonds.

They were the ones who ruined her life. They were the reason why her father risked his future with his daughter. Whether their actions were a product of envy or lust didn't matter, his brother did what he thought needed to be done. He bore everything on himself so she wouldn't and all he asked was for his brother to look after his daughter.

And he did that. So at this moment, he felt at peace, a smile on his face as he prepared himself for what's to come.

"Don't give me that crap." Touma wrapped the man's arm around his shoulder. "I'm not leaving you, so wipe that damn smile from your face!" He barked as he stood tall, the man hanging limply in his grasp giving a sigh and sluggishly rolling his eyes.

'I got outshine trying to be a hero, wow.' He should have seen this coming. Of course, someone like that spiky hair boy would do this cliché shit, and for that reason, he didn't voice any complaints, only setting his sight forward to see what Touma did in the short period of absence, which by the looks of it was to open the emergency door and used the ladder to keep it that way.

By then sick was on the first floor, barreling forwards and drooling among themselves to take a handful from the two.

Touma didn't have much time. He planted his feet, shifted his body, and grabbed the man's back collar. Knowing that they only had a couple of seconds for the sick to pounce them, Touma threw the man across the floor with all his strength, crashing into the stairwell railing like a rag doll.

Upon seeing the man safely inside, Touma then kicked off the floor at top speed, thrashing into the railing mere seconds after.

He was a little ways from the man but still in leaning distance to move the ladder and close back the door.

However...

"RAAAA!"

He was denied the mobility to do so. In fact, the reason why he crashed upon entry was because this Lanky male sick. Thankfully, he had enough skill to turn it into a controlled crash where his back took the bash of the railing and arms strategically placed in front, tolerant enough to stop the sick squirming advances.

He was stuck struggling. The man, laying oddly, only giving barely audible raspy breaths and struggling to stay awake. Everything was pending on the door being closed, but both of them had trouble moving and with the sicks at his heel, Touma really needed to close the door fast or else they would be on them at any moment.

'Damn it!' Touma voiced his anxiety inwardly, however it was suddenly cut short by loud clattering sounds followed by the door closing and multiple thuds.

When he glanced down, ignoring the thrashing sick in his grasp, Touma noticed the ladder keeping the door open was gone and the man moved from his original position. Most likely caused by the man slipping the ladder through a gap in the railing.

And yet the room was not still. Not until the other problem, drooling ahead of him, was dealt with.

Touma wasn't in a favorable position to stand up or push the sick off him.

So he shifted his body to the left, attempting to spiral down the stairs and give himself distance when they would break. From there he would shove and lock it on one of the levels and retrieve the ladder wherever it stopped.

But before he could...

"Lower your head to the right!"

A familiar voice commanded.

Touma was taken aback at first but thought it best not to linger. He wasted no time twisting and as he did, he felt his and the sicks grip forcefully pried from each other, its body rolling down to the landing between floors.

When Touma Looked back, that's when he caught the sight of Mikoto and two others, one familiar and the other not. Apart from Mikoto who rested her posture, those two ran past him but not before one took his butter socks.

"He needs medical treatment," Touma said quickly, crawling to his feet and taking off his blazer to wrap around the man's arm.

"There should be a medical kit on the sixth level," Mikoto told him.

"You have to get the ladder, it fell through the railing."

"Good to see you, OK kid." The journalist said after he hogtied the sick. "I'll go fetch the ladder." He smiled and set out.

"Thanks."

"It's the least I can do."

"Guess I'll take him to the sixth floor." The college boy walked to them and lifted said man.

"No problem." He said to Touma who then gestured and stood up.

"Then I'll be in the com's room, time to move to the second phase of your plan." Mikoto smiled. Touma shook his head in agreement before leaving at the same time as the other two.

It was now time for phase two of his plan, a diversion. And the only way Touma could think of causing a big one was by going to the second level.

There was no way to reach the entertainment sector on the second level without using the elevator or escalators. So when Touma entered the empty ground floor, he took the former to the first floor of the entertainment half on the second level.

The massive diversion they were planning on won't be successful on Touma's action alone. A large part of it relied on Mikoto. She was to act as an amplifier to spread Touma's voice if you will. While Touma would set off and turn on any and every technological contraption on the seven floors, Mikoto would disperse the noise throughout the entire mall by way of the intercom's and let those sick outside in.

Ergo when he reached no time was wasted. He first started with the games, starting them up and turning the volumes higher. From there he sets off all the security alarms of each store then moves to the movie areas and plays on any genre. Resistance was met obviously but Touma trudged through them to complete his objective.

'The others should be finished crossing into the other building by now.' Touma thought as he burst through the emergency door and arrived outside. Only when he saw how close the sun was at reaching the horizon did he realize how much time had passed.

Touma turned his sights to the left to leave but when he did he noticed how much things changed. From the addition of four new people to the replacement of the beds for the ladder which admittedly was a better idea as it acted as a bridge to both buildings of different heights. The building to the left a couple of stories higher than this one. The minor changes just being escaped into the building with a bed and extending the ladder from the roof to the broken window.

But that was not the only reason why he stopped in his tracks. No, it had to do with the three people still present on the roof with him. He thought by the time he got here Mikoto and the college boy would have been in the other building. Instead, here they were, waiting for two other people to cross.

Seeing no reason to argue with them, Touma slipped near.

"Things shifted for the better." He remarked about the changes to the original plan.

"Yup, although they still exist the fear of falling to those sick clambering the mall."

"Well it's just us four who have to cross, hopefully, we don't fall."

"Indeed."

"...How is he?" Touma asked softly, looking at the man being piggyback by a college student. His arms bounded around the boy's neck with a jacket.

"Passed out but should be fine," Mikoto stated, a glint in her eye to reassure him. It didn't take long after she said that for the two people to finish crossing. The four latecomers followed immediately behind them one at a time.

At the height they were at the wind posed a threat for them to falter over them, miss stepping but swallowing the knot in their stomach they tottered along the metal ladder, not daring to look down and meet the crowd of sicks.

Mikoto arrived first in accordance to their line up, then came Touma followed by-

Something went wrong with the Aluminum ladder.

They should have inspected it before use. Especially after what had happened on the emergency stairs. Being unable to make only one person at a time to cross the ladder is one thing but this was a big safety protocol to not follow.

The ladder bent at one of its points, causing the college boy to misstep and lose his balance. The resulting shift in weight at one side of the ladder caused it to suddenly flip on its side and for the college boy to lose footing, prompting the hands of gravity to take hold.

The college boy grabbed the rung of the ladder hurriedly however but in doing so caused the ladder to lay flat on its stomach which then made the man piggybacking strangle him as they hung loosely.

Quickly, the brawny boy alleviated that by reaching a hand behind to support his passengers' weight. Which then meant he was holding on for dear life with just one hand.

He groaned out through gritted teeth as he felt his hand burning. Brawny or not, supporting two body weights was difficult. And his grip strength would loosen within a couple of seconds.

No one shouted anything. If they did then this entire plan would crumble. They only had one safe choice to save them both and that is to flip back over the ladder. A plan easier said than done. The problem being the discomfort to the brawny boy's hand where he would slip in the middle of turning.

Knowing that the brawny boy decided on something while they were in the process of flipping the ladder.

He removed the supporting hand. Reached for the knot. And. Tugged it.

A weight lifted as the ladder completed its revolve. Within a matter of seconds, he made it across, life draining expressions greeting him as he stepped further in.

"You bastard!"

Touma sprang from his position, nostrils flared and mouth twitched. Tightening his fingers, he pulled back his arm, fist shone white as he threw it forward with such force that he knocked the boy off his feet.

Touma's brows wrinkled in frustration. Unfiltered rage seared through him and it took every rational thought left to not attack the sprawled-out guy again. He gets it, the boy did what he had to do to survive. But still, if he had just powered through the noose, then everyone would have made it back safe.

That was all he had to do, power through, and yet...

The college boy groaned before leaning up, clutching the spot on his face where the hit connected.

"Hahh, ahh, hahh." He grimaced on contact. "Damn it." The punch had caught him off guard and he cursed himself for that, glaring daggers at the perpetrator as he got up.

"He could have lived." The white t-shirt man broke the silence.

"Spare me the theatricals. No one knows my body better than I. If I didn't do that we both would have died."

"Uncle." A quivering voice mumbled. From the corner of the room, the green hair girl staggered forward, tears streaming down her cheeks as she unhesitantly stepped out the window.

The room fell into silence once more and the moment everyone stopped Stiffening in shock, panic ranged out and everything went downhill from there. The instant the door opened three sick borrowed through. Fortunately for them though, their scrawling got them by and they managed to flee the room with no one bitten.

Unfortunately, however-quaked screams pleaded out not long after, and without hesitation, Touma leaped for the door to help but...

"I can't let you do that." Mikoto declared, stretching out her hand to block his path. Determined to stop him as she leaves the fighting of the flooding in sicks to Accelerator and Hamazura.

"What do you expect me to do, leave them."

"Yes. I know it'll be hard for you but it needs to be done."

"I'm not doing that, now move!"

"You need to get your priorities straight, idiot! Who is the most important person to you? Who is it you came traveling with us for, huh?" She asked thickly then pointed to a corner of the room. Following her hand, Touma caught sight of the familiar thigh length, silver hair nun dressed in white.

Touma shuddered as slowly he regained control of his breath.

His stomach began to knot. Those large forest green eyes are not how they once were and that worried him. Touma closed his eyes and opened them to scan the room, moving to take in the dire situation.

"That nun." Mikoto paused to let his gaze set back on her. "She swore fealty to god, so how difficult do you think this situation is for her? Your priority should be protecting her right now, not anyone else. If you want to go and save people, go ahead but first make sure she is safe not by anybody's hand but your own."

I mean, that is what you've been doing up until now. Mikoto said to herself softly, and it stung to think that.

What she's told Touma was cruel. She knows that, but no matter how terribly this made her seem she doesn't regret it because her sister needed her, and the longer they stay here helping people the more likely danger Nio will be in. So, that is what was done in the mall back at the first rescue and at the security room. Albeit the former was done subconsciously rather than consciously.

It might have made her sick to her stomach how easily her mind had shifted to such a thought process but she didn't care. Her little sister took precedence and that was all that mattered.

Touma had taken a moment before responding, biting his lips to suppress whatever it was that made him falter, but a quick look at Index firmed his decision.

"Alright." He nodded.

There were some difficulties here and there, where they were locked in serious conformations and fought against many sicks as they tried to bite them and take flesh into their mouths, but with no casualties, the gang of five escaped the building safely and now trekked to their next location in district 13.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Despite the other districts being capable of handling kindergartens on their own, of all the districts in Academy City, School District 13 had the most kindergartens and elementary schools. And it was in one of those elementary schools that the group was heading for.

"I'm so going to drop kick that useless piece of trash when he gets here." A blue-eyed blond glowered. Her neck-length fluffy blonde hair with bangs that reached collar bone, white sparkling smooth skin, and slender arms and legs gave her the appearance of an idol.

"C'mon now Fremea, he said he's coming." Mikoto's little sister, Nio, laughed lightly. Her only phenotypic difference between both Mikoto and Mio being that one unusual strand of hair.

Just like the blonde sitting ahead of her, she was dressed in the same school attire, a blue blazer with a sailor-like collar and white neck ribbon tie. The skirt is a tartan pleated pattern of blue and white.

"Yeah like hours ago."

"You can't be so callous that the thought he got caught up hasn't crossed your mind." Another girl dressed in the same attire spoke up, teasing her frustrated friend to calm her down. Her eyes a bright shade of sapphire and unkempt lavender hair with a white beetle hair clip sprawled loosely on the floor.

The three were in the school's library, hidden between two bookshelves in the far back, and sat on the floor with their backs against the shelves. Nio and Fraulein on one side and Fremea on the other.

"I thought I told you I hate it when you use caustic humor, Fraulein."

"Caustic humor would be me telling you I'm hungry, which I am by the way."

"I would tell you how wrong you are with that but obviously you don't care and just said that to annoy me." Fremea sighed.

"No really, I am hungry."

"Are you serious right now, you do know we can die at any moment, right?"

"What? I stress eat." Fraulein shrugged before resting into Nio's shoulder.

"No, you eat whenever. Don't try to come up with excuses for that."

"I should have a lollipop somewhere," Nio said as she rummaged through her skirt pocket and gave the sweet to an all too zealous Fraulein.

"You need to stop enabling her."

"I don't."

"Yes, you're doing it right now." Fremea gestured, pointing to Fraulein's stuffed mouth.

"Don't pay her any attention last Order, she's just jealous." Fraulein shifted and said sweetly.

"Really now." Nio eyed Fremea with amusement.

"I hate both of you."

"Why are you smiling then?"

"Shut up." Fremae scoffed which made Fraulein and Nio giggle.

It had taken a while but the gang of five were now at the elementary school.

The landscape which was a dirt yard was enclosed around chimney brick walls, with a long playground on one side of the building and a big tree that provided shade at the other.

The school in question was an H shaped construct that had a large clock on the outside.

Situated on the pavement near the tree, Mikoto and the others were planning their method of infiltration.

But.

"Not on your own I'm coming with you." Touma denies Mikoto's suggestion with his own. When they had arrived at the school, a quick look through the bars of the school gate showed them that a handful of sick roaming was about.

Therefore making that entry point unavailable. And since the tree in the schoolyard was close to an open window, Mikoto had suggested climbing it.

Alone that is.

Her sister her responsibility was the reasoning. She couldn't let others get hurt for her selfishness. Not even if it's just deserted. So..,

"Listen." Mikoto leaned off the wall. "I already know where she is and the layout of the building. Besides the dimensions of the window makes it difficult for certain physiques." She came up with an excuse.

"Yea true but not mine. It'll be unconformable but I can still get inside." Touma didn't let up, and Mikoto sighed.

"You are a piece of work, you know that right?" She shook her head. "Listen-"

"This is something I need to do." Touma cut her off.

Mikoto's eyes soften before shifting to the pavement. She guesses she owes him that much. Forcing him to choose between abandoning people in need and all.

"....Alright." She sighed facing him.

"Hold on." Hamazura inhaled deeply after gaining everyone's attention.

"I have someone in there too. I rather not ask some else to do it for me but by the looks of it I can't do otherwise."

"So please," He gulped and stepped closer." rescue them for me."

"Of course," said Mikoto simply, understanding fully now why Hamazura followed them all the way here.

"No worries" Touma smiled and fist bumped Hamazura, who smiled as well as nods, confident he could trust them so told them what he knew.

Now with their location and description given it was time to enter the building but before that Touma lingered at his spot. Careful to not make it noticeable for all but one.

It wasn't so much hesitance why he didn't glance back. He knew regardless, whether he did or did not determine would still flow through him but even so, he couldn't... or maybe more so he didn't want to.

Touma took three deep breaths before following behind Mikoto.

Getting through the narrowed rectangular open window, Touma and Mikoto entered into a green and white tiled bathroom. The stalls plain looking and the entire space smelled strong of detergents.

The trip to the library was two floors below this one and obviously to get there the stairs would be needed. Thus meaning running into the sick was unavoidable. Hopeful not many would be blocking their path there.

Mikoto wrapped her hand around the doorknob, gradually turning it open and steadily stepping out after guaranteeing the coast was clear.

This was truly sickening.

Mikoto wasted no time, she prowled down the corridor, Touma following right behind her in hot pursuit. The thing disturbing her becoming more and more prominent as she moves ahead. The scene was like any other. The only difference being the bodies laying the corridor were more children than adults.

And that is what made Mikoto worried.

It was a quiet movement from this floor to the one below. As such footsteps resonating there was heard and when they had descended the stairs, checking around the corner at the step, Touma saw a mob of sick rallying a set of double doors at the far end of the corridor.

He gave a quick glance at Mikoto and that told him all he needed to know.

That was the objective location and there was no other passage.

Maybe if a diversion was created one of them could lead the sick's to the floor below while the other goes to the one above. With the area, clear extraction should be a cakewalk.

Touma got up from his crouching position and-he felt a hand grounding him in place.

Mikoto stopped him before he could act on that same thought process. She gave him a disapproving stare and gestured him no. Her expression a mix of annoyance, fear, and anger as she loosens her grip.

Touma had zero intention of dying but he understood where Mikoto was coming from. There are no guarantees in this new world so a promise would amount to little. Even so, he hopes she would agree with him there was no other way to solve this issue than having someone act as bait.

But she did not, and they were practically arguing with facial expressions at this point when they finally noticed a sick was upon them.

'SHIT!' they both cursed.

Touma held the superior position on the step since he wasn't cozied up to the wall so he was the first to act but due to him forgetting where he was, he was slow on attacking.

Mikoto jutted her paddle upwards and with the quivering of her weapon being met, the sick flipped to the floor as if it got closed lined.

But.

The one she just took done must have had a walking buddy because right afterward another sick popped into view.

Actually, it was more like tackling into view, Touma's really, and just like that, he flew to the platform between steps. But not before overturning the move and letting the sick take the brunt of the fall.

He rolled off it and got up, by then Mikoto was already beside him and the sick hunched itself up.

It didn't take much longer after that for the rest to come.

Mikoto gripped Touma's hand and yanked him to dodge a charging sick from above. The escape route was blocked on both sides by sick so Mikoto did what she thought best in this situation and led them to the floor right below.

Down the steps and through the corridor, they kept on running, not willing to check on the progress of their pursuers.

And as they continued on doing so, they saw a classroom door open several more classes ahead.

But.

In their attempt to reach it the alerted sick's on this floor tried to cease them. It was no easy task but with the sick's numbers so spaced out, getting past them did not prove such painstakingly difficult as one expected.

They were close to reaching the door but, Touma pranced straight towards an upcoming sick and dug his foot into its stomach, straining sounds leaving its body as it soared in the opposite direction and collided with four of its bodies.

Mikoto reached for the doorknob and rapidly pulled the door shut when Touma was safely inside.

Time wasn't spent standing up to catch their breath as Touma and Mikoto pressed their backs to the door and slumped to the floor in a dull motion.

"Damn it."

Touma slammed his fist against the door, panting heavily and causing the pounding of hands outside to become more exuberant.

"That wasn't like you." The soft words left Mikoto's lips.

"What?"

"The way you acted and how sloppy you were. Yeah, you do act on emotions whenever you stand up for another but even so, you were always level-headed."

"It's not as if I can forget everything that happened, Misaka."

"I'm not asking you too and you shouldn't. You shouldn't ever forget their faces cause I know I won't. That wouldn't be like you at all. You grow from each setback, this is no different, store it and use it to help with any future decisions you'll make."

Mikoto paused a while before continuing.

"You regret it. I get that but look, you can't help anyone if you're dead," She turned from him. "and I think the only way you can accomplish that is if you act like yourself."

Touma sat there quietly. She was right. That wasn't like him at all but how does she expect him to act like normal after what happened. This situation was completely different from his normal stuff because at least back then he didn't have to care about the others as long as the person he wanted to save was fine and well.

But again she was right so he is willing to give it a chance just so he won't have to allow this to happen a second time.

"...I'm sorry, and... thank you."

"No problem." Mikoto smiled and began to think of what to do next. Once she figured it out, she drew her phone with a grunt and released a heavy breath, tampered with it.

Not long after, outside the walls of the school building, Accelerator received a message in the group chat from Mikoto.

_ Well, it seems your services are needed. The library is two floors below the entry window. I already told my sister someone is coming. _

was what it read and his phone vibrated again. With two notifications. One of which was a notification about joining a new group. The other a detailed plan to help Touma and Mikoto escape.

Putting the phone away, Accelerator walked past Hamazura and Index and began climbing the tree.

Entering through the window and exiting the bathroom, Accelerator walked through the bloodied corridors which he took note of were filled with multiple child corpses. Bloodied with dozens of tear marks that went from being in their neck to their backs and legs.

Accelerator checked the area ahead of the stairs for any sicks and once he was sure there were none, he crept to the library's double doors.

He scans the area once more to guarantee it was completely safe and then pulls out his phone to send a long text. He received a text back and seconds later Nio and her two friends pushed open the doubles delicately.

Nio passed through the doors first and instantly she froze, her eyes flaring open instinctively as she stepped back inside with her breath caught. Confused as to why their friend halted, Fraulein and Fremea peered through the gap then glanced at her before going right back to Accelerator.

But.

Accelerator didn't say anything to the questioning gazes but gestured for the girls to go ahead of him. He figured since the threat to them is below then he shouldn't be taking the lead. So, with Fraulein taking point and Nio lagging behind, they ascended the stairs.

As they knew where to go Accelerator followed them, walking along the corridor when he heard footsteps coming towards them. Instantly, he jumped forwards, turning himself around to guard with his weapon.

A sick matted in blood flashed in front of him, grabbed the weapon then pinned him to the wall with it as another rushed pass.

As much as he wanted to there wasn't anything he could do about the second one as long as it held him in place. Thankfully however he couldn't hear any sounds of screaming so he knew that meant the others were ok even if for just a moment.

His mind now focused on the sick in front of him, Accelerator fought against the first as it tried to bite into him, drool dripping from its crimson painted teeth and mouth that was permeated with the stench of death.

But, the stick blocking its path to his flesh began creaking as it pressed against the chest.

Those predatory pitch-black eyes piercing at him lacked what it meant to be human as they flashed beastly in his face. There was nothing in them, no pain, no guilt, and no humanity. All that was left. All that was there and all they did show was the impulsive need for flesh.

The Straining sounds kept on continuing, and to prevent the 40-year-old sick from quickly and ravishingly trying to bite his face off, Accelerator poured all his strength into violently twisting his body, slamming the sick into the wall in the process and loosening its grasp on his weapon.

For when it did, he tackled it into the wall, and using the whiplash force from the move, speared it in the eye. It vividly jolted in response but before it could sound a great howl instinctively, Accelerator Instantly forced his forearm into its widened mouth.

The sick kept on fighting as slowly Accelerator inched the stick further and further into the cranial cavity. Twisting it as if performing acupuncture. The sight and feeling of the sick no longer struggling signaling the end of its life.

He gave a glance to his right and saw the girls were running around the sick to confuse it. When they spotted him now free, they rounded up to lead it his way.

Accelerator took a quick breath, and using his right hand broke the stick in two.

The sick he killed collapsed to the floor and he shot forth. The girls disperse on either side and Accelerator pushes back the sick with a tackle where he padlocked its legs.

After breaking contact while in mid-fall, using the force of gravity to his advantage, Accelerator swung the stick in one fluid stroke. It entered through the eye and when he saw that wasn't enough, repeatedly hammered the tip end with his padded forearm. The sound of its whaling spreading throughout the building.

Which then meant the plan Mikoto sent him to help her and Touma was now out the window as the throbbing screams would attract the sick's below.

Accelerator aligned his upper body straight, panting heavily as he sluggishly rose to his feet and let slip the bloodied murder weapon before gazing at the ceiling.

He flashed a glimpse behind, his expression now disconnected after seeing everyone's appearances.

There wasn't much time to spend pondering here but Accelerator couldn't help it.

'The world of the weak, huh.' He observed his bloodied hand.

The world of the weak. He thought it was a joke at first but only now does he fully understand the severity of the boy's warning. The difference held when screwing up and most of all just how much everything weighed. It is only when Accelerator factored in all of those that he closely saw how terrifying the world of the weak truly was.

A hand felt in his cut his thoughts short and turning around to look, he saw it was Nio's.

"Umm.." She adjusted her grip and stared at the floor before continuing. "I'm sorry. I was just nervous because I didn't know what to say after all this time of not seeing you." She said wobbly. Referring to her hesitant behavior towards him thus far.

"Forget about it brat."

Nio smiled as he said so while her friends just sniggered watching. Enough time was spent loitering here so before the space could become infested with sick, Accelerator led everyone inside the bathroom and locked it shut.

He cleaned himself up first and then pulled out his phone for a short text telling both Mikoto and Touma that the upper floor is unusable. Then he left the building through the window with everyone else to the outside walls.

Mikoto's and Touma's phone vibrated with the message. After hearing the sounds of murmuring had died down, they waited an extra 15 seconds more before exiting the classroom and descending the stairs until the first floor because that was their only play.

The sick's outside was already gathering up against the door but since that was their only escape point, Mikoto and Touma busted through the crowd, swinging as much as punching and kicking to create a path over the wall.

"What happened?" Touma asked Hamazura who seemed like he was dropped kick once he and Mikoto were now over the wall.

"Nothing," Hamazura replied tiredly.

"Big sister," Nio exclaimed, running into Mikoto for a hug.

"Hey, you alright?" Mikoto searched over her sister methodically before pulling her into a second hug.

"I'm ok, I'm ok."

"I'm so glad." Mikoto exhaled and let go. "Listen, we're going to have to go to district 23 to meet up with Mio, you think you can do it?"

"Mmm-mm."

"Ok then, let's go."

Night had fully crept in and the moon shone brightly through the dark sky, illuminating the carnage that wasn't overshadowed by other constructs.

The group was in an alleyway in district 7 when they peeked around a corner to make sure the path was safe. Trying to find a place where they all could rest until morning when the bunker doors would open to send out scouts and take in new arrivals.

They were walking along the street, hiding behind anything that's plausible when Mikoto pulled out her phone to check on Kuroko.

"Somethings wrong." She halted and everyone followed. "Kuroko's not picking up my calls."

"Could there be a reception problem at the bunker?" Touma asked her.

"There was one last time we had drills. I don't see why there wouldn't be one now. Especially in a touchy situation like this. Something not right."

"Call sister-chan."

"...Same thing." Mikoto ended the call. "She isn't answering either."

"Hold on." She gestured with her finger and began tracking both Kuroko's and her sister's number. "They are at the base yet no one is answering their calls."

"Hey call one of your friends," Mikoto told Touma.

"Same here," Touma said after several seconds of trying multiple people. "We have to go and check out what's wrong." Touma sped up his pace.

"You guy's go on." Accelerator told them. "There's something I gotta do."

"What."/"Huh" Was everyone's reply.

"Why would you want to split up?" Touma, Fremae, and Index asked Him.

"Yeah, that's dangerous," Nio said worriedly.

"And stupid don't forget stupid," Fraulein commented.

"There's something I have to take care of. I'll come find you guy's after."

"Is it really that important?" Hamazura asked.

"Yes."

"You can't be serious. It's not smart to split up."

"He's right, we're safer together than apart." Said Hamazura as he gestured with his arm.

"I suggest we let him," Mikoto told everyone.

"Misaka."/ huh/"What."

"He already thought this through. Whatever it is it's not a good idea for anyone but him to go. We all have people to look after."

"I'm not letting him do this." Touma stepped towards him.

"Hahh, man you're such a pain." Accelerator scratched his head. "I've learned what you've meant back at the roof and I intend to take your words to heart. So relax I'm going in with a better mindset."

"Touma if it was you wouldn't want the same. I have faith he will come back just trust him like you would want others to trust you." Index spoke up.

"You will come back safely, right?" She asked him and he nodded.

"I do expect you to come back." Touma raised his hand for a fist bump.

"Yea, yea, I will." Accelerator waved off leaving.

New chapter of

Surviving: Bunker 29

Normal school life: To new friendships

Beginning of the End: Hanging out


End file.
